


More Than Anything

by KibaSin



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, F/M, Humor, Light-Hearted, Mild Language, Minor Violence, Obsessive Behavior, Original Character(s), Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-22
Updated: 2013-08-21
Packaged: 2017-12-24 06:38:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 102,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/936591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KibaSin/pseuds/KibaSin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Uchiha Sasuke has one last mission while in the Academy: make Higurashi Kagome acknowledge him, love him, and one day become his wife. Unfortunately, it is much harder than it sounds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Academy Life

_**Disclaimer:** _ _I do not own Naruto or Inuyasha. I merely gain self-accomplishment from writing this._

* * *

**Note:**  For this piece, the Uchiha clan was never destroyed.

* * *

He glanced up, again, and noticed that she was still sleeping. She remained blissfully unaware of his stare, as her hair framed her face and kept Iruka-sensei from noticing her lack of attention. She appeared completely relaxed, and he smirked slightly at the sight, since most shinobi would have awakened while underneath such an intensive stare. The fact that she did not made his ego swell just a bit more.

She shifted a bit after a while. He bit his tongue in that moment, as her eyes seductively fluttered open, revealing her dark blue eyes. He knew that the fluttering of her lashes was unintentional, but he did not care. The movement was alluring, her eyes were beautiful, and the tiny yawn she gave afterward was just  _so_  damn cute.

His decision cemented itself further into his mind, as he turned his attention back toward Iruka-sensei. He weaved his fingers together and settled them just underneath his nose in a thoughtful pose. He knew it would be hard, considering she had never acknowledge his existence before, but he was positive he could do it. And his father might disprove of what he planned to do, but nothing could deter him from his course.

Uchiha Sasuke planned to have Higurashi Kagome. No one could stop him; no matter how hard they tried. It was as simple as that.

_**Chapter One:** _ _Academy Life_

" _Nar-u-to_ ," she hissed, stressing the name. "Give it back."

"Who do you think sent it?" the blonde smirked back, toying with the little card attached to the rose. Only the name  _Higurashi Kagome_  was sprawled on the paper, heightening the mystery of who might have given such a thing to his friend. "Do you think it might have been Hyuuga Neji?"

From his position in front of them, Uchiha Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"No!" she growled. "Now give me the damn flower!"

"But I thought you said you didn't want it," Naruto teased.

"Well, whoever sent it made a very nice gesture and it is only polite of me to keep it," she frowned. "So, give it back!"

"Nuh uh!" Naruto shouted, leaning back. The rose remained just out of Kagome's reach, even as she tried to grab it. He smirked at his victory, until her hand slammed deep into his stomach and the air escaped rapidly from his lungs. She lunged in that moment, grabbing onto the anonymous gift, and retreated with it back in her possession.

"Ah ha!" she shouted back, clutching the rose like a weapon. Her eyes zeroed in on the plant, though, and she squeaked a little when Naruto looked at her from beyond the red petals. "Look at what you did!"

"W-what?" Naruto blinked.

"You ruined it!" Kagome cried. She thrust the poor flower into her friend's face, showing off the broken stem and bruised petals. "Now whoever sent it is going to think I'm a jerk!"

"Oh, come on, Kagome," Naruto grinned. "No one could think that."

"Oh no?" she frowned. "Taisho Inuyasha thinks I'm an ungrateful bitch—!"

Sasuke's eyes darkened, but he made sure not to draw attention to himself. He merely stiffened a little at the term, angry that someone would think such a thing, and continued to gage Higurashi Kagome's reaction to the small flower. He had placed it on her desk before anyone entered in hopes she would take a liking to the tiny, romantic gesture and acknowledge that someone was vying for her attention.

"—And you know what?" she growled. "That's your fault, too!"

"Hey," Naruto growled back. "How was I supposed to know that that day would be the day he decided to help you with your taijutsu?"

"You shouldn't have been wandering around the village transformed as me in the first place!" Kagome huffed, whacking him on the side of the head. He pouted afterward, and she sighed in defeat. "Though, it's great that you've finally managed to hold your transformation jutsu for that long."

Naruto grinned. Then, he turned his attention back to the flower Kagome continued to twist between her fingers. "So, really, who do you think gave you that flower?"

She shrugged, "I don't know."

"Come on!" Naruto whined. "Do you think it was Neji? It's got to be Neji. After last year, I'm surprised he's not in here every day asking you to marry him."

The other shinobi-in-training turned to look at them, and Kagome sank down into her seat a little more. She glared at the blonde next to her, saying, "You know that Neji was just being silly, Naruto."

"Neji being  _silly_?" Naruto laughed. That  _was_  the most hilarious thing he had heard all day. "You're out of your mind if you think that Hyuuga could act  _silly_. That stick is lodged way too far up his ass for him to—"

Slapping her hand over his mouth, Kagome giggled nervously. Her glare intensified, as she said, "Shut up, will you. People are beginning to stare." The twinkle in his light blue eyes made her suspicious, and she suddenly ripped her hand away with a cry. More people turned to look at them, as she cried, " _Ew_! I can't believe you just  _licked_  my hand!"

"Well, I've got a point to make!" Naruto smirked. "You might not have  _meant_  to kiss him—!"

She squeaked again, wishing there was a hole somewhere she could hide in. Naruto was  _so_  loud that everyone was looking at them, including Iruka-sensei, and most of Neji's fan club had turned to glare heatedly at her. They clearly hated her, but she swore it was an accident. There was no way she could have known Neji was coming up to see Hinata at the same moment she tripped, nor could she have anticipated the moment they slammed into one another and locked lips!

"But he sure as heck meant to send you all those—!"

Again, she slammed her hand over his mouth, crying out, "No one needs to know about that, Naruto!" This time, she shuddered and endured his tongue sliding over the palm of her hand.

Another kunoichi, clearly glaring at her, snapped, "No. Let him continue, Kagome- _chan_. I want to know what Neji-sama sent you."

Naruto ripped himself away, turning to the girl. "It was—"

"Nothing!" Kagome practically screamed. She tackled him from behind, grabbing a fist full of his hair and shoving his face into the floor. Naruto grunted from beneath her, while she dug her knees into his back, and grinned madly. However, a shadow swept over the two of them at a surprising speed and she stiffened.

" _Uzumaki Naruto_." He did  _not_  sound happy. " _Higurashi Kagome_."

Looking up from beneath her bangs, Kagome smiled innocently at Iruka-sensei. "Oh, Iruka-sensei!" she stated sweetly. "Is there something you needed?" She hoped that he would cave beneath her innocent look, but his brow only twitched a little harder.

"What have I told you two about violence in my classroom?" Iruka exploded.

Sensing the danger, Naruto threw Kagome from his back and scrambled up the remaining steps to the back of the classroom. " _RUN!_ " he shouted back, throwing open the door and rushing out.

" _Uzumaki Naruto!_ " Kagome screamed, using a surprisingly flexible move to escape Iruka-sensei's grasping hands. She sailed over a few desks, barely stuck the landing, and scrambled to open a window. Iruka-sensei nearly grabbed onto her ankle as she did so, but she managed to slam the window open and sped out of it toward safety.

Sasuke watched her disappear, sighing a bit at the stupidity of the entire situation. He glanced back over his shoulder at the innocent, bruised rose left lying on her desk and cursed Naruto for having distracted her to the point he could not gage whether she truly appreciated the gesture or not. That had been his only mission for the day, yet it seemed that he would have to try again.

As Iruka-sensei yelled out the window for the kunoichi to come back, since lunch was nearly over, Sasuke wondered briefly why he had chosen Higurashi Kagome to be the recipient of his affections. However, a quick glance to his left, where Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino—the presidents of the Uchiha Sasuke  _and_  Uchiha Itachi fan clubs—sat staring at him, he knew the reason.

Higurashi Kagome barely acknowledged his existence, acted as if there was no such thing as an Uchiha clan, and that made her interesting. Her beauty, intelligence, and position in life only cemented the deal. There was simply no other girl that could ever fill the future role of his wife, so she would just have to accept it.

* * *

"It can't be a coincidence," a girl whispered from behind them the next day.

However, Kagome and Naruto merely continued to stare at the small, silver cat charm resting on Kagome's desk. The same white tag was attached to the little chain, with the neat _Higurashi Kagome_  sprawled on the paper. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the piece of paper, before glancing around the room. "Damn it, I want to know who keeps giving you these things," he stated.

Yamanaka Ino, having stolen Haruno Sakura's spot next to Uchiha Sasuke, glanced up at them. She smiled a little, saying, "I think it's sweet! Whoever keeps giving you those things must really like you, Kagome!"

The Higurashi blushed, lowering her head a little. "I-I'm sure there's just been some type of mistake, is all," she replied.

"It has your name on it," the kunoichi behind them sneered.

Kagome glanced behind her, noticing that it was indeed the same Hyuuga Neji Fan Club member that had not only glared at her the day before, but also shrieked up a storm when the incident happened. She considered herself the best of the best in Neji's fan club, and clearly hated her. Not that there was any love lost there.

"I still think its Neji," Naruto muttered. "It has to be."

The Hyuuga Neji Fan Club member's glare became scolding hot.

Kagome put her head onto the desk, staring at the little cat that stared back at her. Pouting, she said, "They could just be—"

"Kagome," Ino huffed a little. "As much as I  _don't_  like agreeing with Mizuki—" there was no love lost  _there_ , either, "—she's right. It has your name on it. The person couldn't have spelled  _Higurashi Kagome_  if they meant to write something else. Not only that, but it wouldn't be on your desk if that was the case."

"But why would someone give  _me_  something like this?" Kagome sighed. She simply could not figure out why someone would want to give her roses or charms or  _anything_. Most people did not like her because she decided to hang around Naruto, and a lot of the others simply overlooked her because she was not from one of the powerful clans in the village.

"I-I think it's cute, K-Kagome," Hinata called from the back of the class.

"Tch," the boy next to her—Inuzuka Kiba—said. "I think it's dumb. Whoever the guy is, he should just come out and say he likes you. He's probably just some coward that can't admit that he likes you, so he hides behind those little  _tokens of affection_."

Sasuke twitched visibly. He was not—

"Hey," Kagome leaned over her desk, and watched as the Uchiha's head whipped in her direction. "Are you alright, Sasuke? You looked like you were going to fall out of your chair there."

Ino bristled a little, but calmed herself down. She was more of an Uchiha Itachi follower, and she really did not see any reason for Kagome to stay away from Sasuke. And even if there was a rule that no one outside the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club could have him, Ino liked the Higurashi girl. She would be willing to let that one slide, considering she  _was_  the fan club president.

Sasuke could feel Kagome's hot breath on his face from their close proximity, and closed his eyes. He easily made it seem like he was ignoring the girl, despite his need to suddenly lick his lips. "Tch, I'm fine," he muttered, turning his head away at last.

It was hard not telling her what he wanted from her. He knew that would scare her off, though, since Kagome was  _not_  the type of girl that would suddenly jump at the chance of becoming his girlfriend or spending the rest of her life with him. No, he needed to find something, anything, that would steal her heart out from under her nose and  _then_  she would be his for the taking.

Sakura huffed, saying, "I don't see why you even asked that question, Kagome. Of course there's nothing wrong with Sasuke-kun. He's the best shinobi here."

"Don't be mean, billboard brow," Ino growled. "Kagome was just being nice by asking Sasuke-kun if he was alright."

"Don't tell me what to do, Ino-pig!" Sakura hissed.

As the verbal fight broke out between the two kunoichi, Naruto tugged at Kagome's sleeve. He grinned when she leaned back to look at him, and stated, "I got it!"

"What?" Kagome asked. She blinked in curiosity, since Naruto sounded so sure of himself.

"It was Kiba!" Naruto shouted, turning to point at the boy.

"What?" Kiba cried, laughing a little. "No it wasn't!"

" _Yes_ ," Naruto nodded many times, "it was! It makes perfect sense now! You gave Kagome that flower  _and_  this charm, but said all that crap about the person being a coward to throw us off!"

The Inuzuka glared, saying, "It wasn't me, idiot."

"Of course it—" Naruto blinked, "Kagome?"

"Naruto, I don't think it was Kiba," Kagome said.

"But—"

"Kiba is a  _dog_  person, Naruto," Kagome began slowly, allowing the information to sink into his head. Then, she picked up the charm and showed it to him. "This is a  _cat_. Probably a nin-cat from the looks of this vest it's wearing."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, glancing up to the boy. He  _did_  have that growling little mutt on his head, Akamata or something like that. However, his eyes still narrowed, he turned to look at his friend. "But—"

"Why would a  _dog_  person give someone something that looks like a  _cat_?" Kagome asked.

"To throw you off the trail," Naruto stated.

The rest of the shinobi-in-training broke out in laughter, and Kagome knew it was directed at Naruto. She glanced up, resisting the urge to glare at them after the harsh speaking to she had gotten from her mother the day before, and sighed. "Naruto, a dog person wouldn't give someone a cat charm."

"Yeah!" Kiba called. "If I was gonna give her a charm, it'd look like Akamaru. Right, boy?" The small, white dog on his head barked in response to his question. And it was very clear that if Kiba had given the charm to Kagome, it would have looked  _exactly_  like Akamaru.

"Ugh," Naruto slouched in his seat. "Iruka-sensei!"

"Hm, what is it, Naruto?" Iruka asked from his position at the front of the class. He was actually surprised that so many of them had stayed inside,  _again_ , during lunch. However, as long as they were not causing too much trouble, he supposed he could handle it.

"Do you know who gave this—" Naruto snatched the charm from Kagome's hand, "—to Kagome?"

Iruka sighed. Of course he knew. However, the glare currently directed at him told him that it would be best not to even answer. "No, Naruto. Whoever put it there must have done so while I was out of the room this morning."

"And the flower yesterday?" Naruto frowned.

Iruka shook his head, saying, "I'm afraid not."

"Dang it," Naruto grumbled. Then, it hit him. "Brilliant!"

"Naruto?" Kagome asked.

"I told you, Kagome," Naruto grinned. "It  _has_  to be Neji! Who else but the great Hyuuga prodigy that is  _so_  totally in love with you could have put not one, but two items on your desk without Iruka-sensei noticing? Though, it is a little weird that he would suddenly start using this tactic after sending you all those—"

"I told you not to talk about that!"

"Higurashi Kagome!" Iruka growled. "Keep your voice  _down_!"

Mizuki leaned forward in her desk, saying, "No, no. Don't listen to her, Naruto- _kun_." She batted her eyelashes. "I want to know what Neji-sama gave her."

"Eh?" Naruto blinked in surprise. "It was only like two dozen—"

"Shut up!"

" _Higurashi Kagome!_ " Iruka raised his voice.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered underneath Iruka-sensei's voice. "But I don't want Naruto to tell them!"

Naruto blinked at the pitiful sight Kagome suddenly made, putting her head onto the desk in front of her. She looked like she was ready to slam it against the hard wood, so he patted her back. He received a growl at the action, but was not deterred. "Ok, ok. I won't tell them if you don't want me to, geeze," he sighed.

"Thank you," Kagome lifted her head. Then, noticing that Naruto was staring intently at the charm he was holding, she twitched. "Hey, give that back to me."

"Not until I figure out whether or not Neji gave it to you," Naruto replied.

"Oh, I don't think so," Kagome growled. "You'll just ruin it like you did the flower yesterday."

"No, I won't!" Naruto huffed. "Besides, it's not like I could—" He held it between two fingers, and began pressing them together. "Look, this thing is like made of—"

Kagome smacked him hard enough that the charm flew from his hand. She jumped to catch it, her eyes zeroing in on the little charm meant for her, and was surprised when she  _also_ smacked Sasuke in the back of the head. She caught the little charm, but the Uchiha reached up to touch his damaged head. "Oh, I'm so sorry—"

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried. "Higurashi Kagome,  _how_  could you do such a thing?"

Naruto grinned a bit as he rubbed his cheek. "Heh, and they call you a prodigy, Sasuke? You didn't even move!" he laughed. He suddenly stiffened as a lot of the girls turned to glare at him. They could get scary at times and that moment was definitely one of them.

Sasuke resisted the urge to insult Naruto. Only knowing that Kagome would stare at him disapprovingly stopped him from doing so. Instead, he said, "You got hit too, Naruto."

"Yeah, but—"

"Don't argue with him when he's right," Kagome snapped. She protected the little charm when Naruto turned to look at her, knowing that any chance he got he would take. And she did not plan on having him snatch it away again. Then, after she gave him a scolding glare, she returned her sight to the damaged Uchiha. "I really am sorry, Sa—"

"Don't talk to him!" Sakura screamed. "You just hit him, you have no right—"

"Shut up, Sakura," Ino growled. "She's apologizing."

Sakura seemed to realize how rude she looked when Sasuke glanced at her, and bowed her head. "O-oh, I'm s-so—"

Ino rolled her eyes. It seemed that Sakura got worse with each day, unable to make Sasuke notice her. She tried everything she knew, but the Uchiha continued to look the other way, and Sakura's little heart just could not take it. And, as much as it hurt Ino to know her old friend-turned-rival was hurting over such a thing, she would not help her. Not when Sasuke and Itachi's hearts were on the line.

"I'm fine," Sasuke muttered, catching the Higurashi's eyes. The shining blue glittered in happiness, as she clipped the small charm to the thin chain resting around her neck. And Sasuke was content to watch her in that moment; despite the fact he was probably giving himself away.

Higurashi Kagome, though, remained oblivious.

"I'm glad!" Kagome smiled just for him.

Sasuke sighed, as he turned his head away. Despite the smile, he had gained enough information from his first plan of action to know that the gifts were nice, but not enough to give him what he completely wanted. So, it was definitely time for his second plan of action.

Naruto pouted, staring at the little charm until Kagome opened her shirt and dropped it inside. He growled a little, saying, "I still think it's from Neji."

"And I doubt it!" Kagome grinned back.


	2. A Name

"Hey," Naruto whispered, "have you noticed anything odd?"

" _No_ ," Kagome whispered back. She knew that they were not being very secretive about it, but it was fun nonetheless. "What did you notice?"

"Sasuke's slouching!" Naruto allowed his voice to boom.

Many of the shinobi-in-training turned at Naruto's voice, and found that Uchiha Sasuke  _was_  slouching. Whispers quickly rose in the air, because it was simply not the Uchiha way. They demanded attention with their haunting Sharingan eyes and arrogant nature, but they  _never_  slouched. It was simply not in their nature!

"Maybe he's just tired," Kagome said, leaning over her desk a bit. She blinked at the sight of Sasuke slouching over his desk, the Uchiwa fan on the back of his shirt quite visible for her to see.

" _But!_ " Naruto cried. "This is  _the_  Uchiha Sasuke! Slouching! Come on, you've got to find this funny?"

She scowled a little at her hyper friend, saying, "I slouch whenever I'm tired."

"You  _sleep_  whenever you're tired, Kagome," Naruto replied.

She slapped a hand over his mouth as Iruka-sensei glanced up toward them. "You're supposed to keep that on the down-low, remember," she hissed. Then, making a move between them, she continued, "Just between us."

"Right, because  _nobody_  notices," Naruto smirked.

Her scowl deepened a bit, as she glared at him. She saw the humor in his words, but it was  _not_  that funny. "Iruka-sensei doesn't, and I  _really_  want to keep it that way, Naruto. You know what would happen if my mother ever found out."

He nodded quickly, stating, "She would be very angry with you, but  _then_  she would sigh and say that you needed more sleep, before letting you go on your way."

"Alright, smart guy," Kagome growled. "You know what will happen if  _Souta_  finds out."

"Oh, poor kid. His heart would be broken, knowing that his older sibling does such a shameful thing," Naruto sighed sadly. Then, in a dramatic gesture, he stood up and put his foot onto his desk. His voice rose, as he continued, "And then! Oh,  _then_  poor Higurashi Souta would drop out of the Academy and begin living as a civilian! And because he never got the proper shinobi training, the rogue shinobi that comes to kill him will succeed in his mission! The saddest part of this tale, though, has to be that his older sister, because of her actions so long ago, will not be able to save him!"

" _Get down_." Kagome's voice was low and dangerous, warning Naruto not to continue with his little tale. People were beginning to stare and she knew that the attention would only lead to Iruka-sensei finding out her secret.

"But," Naruto allowed tears to gather at the corner of his eyes, "the story of Higurashi Souta must be told!"

"Idiot."

Naruto's head snapped in the direction of the voice, and he found Sasuke sitting up, glaring at him. The look in his dark eyes made Naruto's head swirl a bit in wonder, but his mind was more focused on what had come out of his mouth. So, he jumped down onto the Uchiha's desk and looked at him closely with narrowed eyes. He did  _not_  look tired, but that was not what concerned Naruto at the moment. "What did you say?"

"Nobody would stop trying to become a shinobi simply because of their older sibling's actions," Sasuke replied. He ignored Naruto's question with ease, redirecting the idiot's attention away when he noticed the look in his eyes. It would do him no good to have Naruto become aware of his desire, especially while he was trying to determine the quickest way to Higurashi Kagome's heart.

"How would  _you_  know?" Naruto frowned. "Your brother is the great Uchiha Itachi!" He struck a pose for effect. "The very same Uchiha that graduated the Academy at seven and is currently going on dangerous missions!"

"You're right," Sasuke nodded. A hint of venom leaked into his voice at the very thought, because he was  _really_  sick of being stuck in his brother's shadow. "He  _did_  graduate the Academy early, and he  _is_  going on ANBU-related missions. But, if he had decided to fall asleep during class, I would not stop trying to reach my goal."

"Eh?" Naruto squinted his eyes. "And what's that?"

"To beat him," Sasuke smirked. "To become better than him."

"That's not why my brother is going to become a shinobi, though."

Sasuke turned to find Kagome's face close enough that he could have touched her, as her hot breathe fanned across his face. He gulped in that moment, wondering if the girl knew how close she was to stepping into dangerous territory.

"He wants to become an ANBU," Kagome smiled fondly. "He wants to do the best he can in order to protect the village and the people he loves in it. He wants to know he's done something good for them, maybe die a heroes death, and have a bit of danger thrown at him from time to time."

"Yeah, so  _you_  should just shut your mouth." Naruto smirked at the scowl the Uchiha sent him. He had clearly done a good job of striking a nerve from the look on his face and that made Naruto  _very_  happy.

"Naruto, don't be mean," Kagome sighed. "Sasuke doesn't know anything about my family, so he couldn't have known that Souta wasn't striving to someday beat me."

Naruto's eyes widened comically, as he shouted, "I can't believe you're defending that bastard!"

"Well," Kagome huffed. Naruto acted like it was the most horrible thing in the world. "I'd defend you, too, if he suddenly decided to jump on your desk and start acting like he knows everything about you."

Naruto crossed his arms, settling down until he was sitting on Sasuke's desk. "That's not what I was doing," he huffed back. "I was trying to find out what he said, but he technically never told me."

"Tch." The sound left Sasuke's throat, as he turned his eyes to find Naruto staring at him deeply. He stared back and a contest quickly ensued between them to see who would break eye contact first.

Kagome ignored them, turning her attention to the girl sitting next to Sasuke once more. "Hey," she called, "what do you want to be when you're older, Sakura?"

Sakura stopped glaring in that moment, having been trying to bore holes into the side of Kagome's head for daring to talk to Sasuke. A blush spread across her cheeks, as she said, "Um. Of course I want to be the best kunoichi that I can be, definitely a jounin rank or higher. But, if I can't do that, I want to be a medic-nin so that I can—uh… well…"

Knowing that the conversation ended there, Kagome turned her attention away from her. "And you, Ino?" she called, smiling at the other girl.

"I'm going to be an ANBU!" Ino proudly stated. "And I'm going to work underneath Uchiha Itachi!"

"Do you have any plans in case you can't do that?" Kagome asked out of curiosity.

Ino smiled, nodding. "If I can't become an ANBU, I'm going to become a medic-nin. I'm going to make sure that I'm the one that treats Itachi-kun's wounds and checks him over whenever he comes back from a mission!"

"That's going to be a little hard to do," Sasuke stated. He never broke eye contact with the idiot sitting on his desk. "My brother treats his own wounds when he comes back from a mission. And on the rare occasion that my father can convince him to have someone else check him over, he usually goes to find an Uchiha medic that's off duty."

"I still think it's a good dream to have," Kagome said.

"Thank you," Ino grinned, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

Finally, Naruto tore his eyes away from the bastard sitting in front of him. He smiled up at his friend, asking, "What do you want to be, Kagome?" And his smile widened a bit more at the fire that suddenly sprang up into her eyes. She was always so proud of everything she did, so it was no surprise when she rose up onto her knees with her fists clenched.

"I'm going to be a jounin-instructor!" she grinned. "One day I'm going to have my own genin squad and watch them grow into formidable shinobi!"

"Ew, you want to hang around little genin all day?" Mizuki asked.

"Yup!" Kagome nodded.

"But, there's always a chance that all the students you train come out wrong. Like, they turned against the village or kill someone close to them," Mizuki replied. "Wouldn't that just _eat_  away at your conscience?"

"Of course it would!" Kagome did not stop smiling. "But that would give me all the more reason to leave the village in order to bring them back kicking and screaming, before kicking their butts back into gear!"

"Genin usually end up becoming better than their jounin-instructor," Mizuki frowned. "They'd probably kill you."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take!" Kagome pumped her fist. "I like living with a little danger, after all! What fun is life if there's nothing to strive for? Nothing to make you watch your back?"

Mizuki snorted a little, as her frown deepened. She would never understand what Neji saw in that girl, no matter how hard she tried to see what he saw. She was just  _not_  normal.

Kagome smiled, despite Mizuki's clear distain toward her. There was no love lost between them, after all. She leaned down, asking, "What about you, Sasuke?"

"I want to become an ANBU," Sasuke replied evenly. "But, I have also always thought about becoming apart of the Police Force. I would be able to train directly underneath my father and learn all of the Uchiha clan secrets."

"Wow," Naruto smirked. "I don't think I've ever heard you say that much before."

"And you're point?" Sasuke growled.

"Oh,  _nothing_ ," Naruto grinned slyly. "Just, you said it all to Kagome."

Kagome cursed Naruto in that moment, as the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club members turned to glare at her heatedly. She could have done  _without_  them noticing that Sasuke had decided to speak in complete sentences.

"What's the matter, Sasuke- _kun_?" Naruto asked. " _Cat_  got yer tongue?"

"If you're referring to the cat charm that Kagome was given yesterday, I was not the one that gave it to her," Sasuke easily lied. He did not know Naruto's game at the moment, but he was quick to sidestep whatever he had planned up his sleeve. Kagome might be completely oblivious to what he felt for her, but Naruto had a keen eye when it came to his friend. And it would do him no good for the blonde to find out his mission, because he would probably do everything in his power to corrupt Kagome's mind away from him.

That was  _not_  something he was willing to risk.

Naruto's grin stretched a little wider, as he said, "You're sure quick to defend yourself, though."

Sakura, having pulled herself out of her little fantasy, huffed at Naruto's words. She glared at him from beyond Sasuke, pressing down the urge to latch onto the Uchiha's arm as she defended him. "Sasuke- _kun_  wouldn't think of giving such a thing to Kagome," she said. "Not only was it simple and plain—"  _obviously_  not something an Uchiha would give, "—but there are far superior kunoichi that he would have chosen."

"Oh, like  _you_?" Ino asked, rolling her eyes.

"Well," Sakura blushed at the sudden attention directed at her, and she had to press down the urge to grab onto him,  _again_. "Um—o-of course! I can perform all of the Academy's basic ninjutsu, my chakra control is excellent, and my taijutsu—"

"Is lacking!" Mizuki, surprisingly on Kagome's side, shouted.

"What did you say?" Sakura growled, turning to the Hyuuga follower.

"Your taijutsu," Mizuki smirked, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "It's lacking! You don't train  _at all_ , whereas I've seen Kagome beat the crap out of a wooden log—" the other shinobi-in-training briefly wondered  _why_  Mizuki would be watching such a thing, "and your taijutsu skills are nothing in comparison to hers. She could easily kick your Uchiha following ass all the way to Lightning Country if she wanted to!"

"You think Hyuuga Neji is so great!" Sakura growled. It was  _quite_  clear that the most she had heard was the comment directed at her precious Sasuke.

"I don't  _think_ ," Mizuki growled back, "I  _know_."

The verbal fight quickly escalated into something more, as Sakura rose from her seat to continue yelling at the Neji fan club member. Mizuki followed her example, leaning over her desk to yell back. They fought over which was better, Hyuuga or Uchiha, each raising their voice  _just_  a little higher each time the other spoke. And they refused to stop, even when Iruka-sensei rose from his desk to put a stop to the yelling.

"So," Naruto ignored the girl's close by, "ANBU, huh?"

"Yes," Sasuke said. "Or are you hard of hearing now, too?"

"Why you—!"

" _Enough!_ " Iruka screamed. The room quickly quieted, Sakura and Mizuki turning to stare at him in bewilderment. He narrowed his eyes, his eyebrow twitching, as he finally hollered, " _Outside, the lot of you!_ "

The shinobi-in-training fled in that moment, knowing that they had finally shoved Iruka-sensei over the edge. And they hoped, as they raced for the door and windows, that today would not be the day he took a grab at one of them. His angry yelling was bad enough, but  _then_  there was the guilt trip from the Hokage and the punishment their parents would no doubt come up with.

None of them wanted that.

* * *

"Damn it!" Naruto growled. "Did you hear that? That bastard said it again!"

Kagome sighed, looking up at her friend. "I thought you didn't care about what Uchiha Sasuke did or said, Naruto?" she asked. Then again, she  _knew_  that was a lie. Naruto made it his job to torment every Uchiha that he could find. Sasuke, Itachi, anyone on the Police Force. They were all targets, all prey, and Naruto needed no reason other than they were Uchiha to try and prank them.

"Well, yeah," Naruto scowled. "But that bastard keeps going on about how  _great_  his brother and father are!"

"Don't you think he's allowed to like the fact that he's the son of the Uchiha patriarch?" Kagome blinked. "Or the brother of Uchiha Itachi? They  _are_  really great shinobi, after all."

"He doesn't have to be so damn arrogant about it, though," he snorted. "Especially not today, or tomorrow—or any day this year!"

Kagome shook her head, returning her attention to the bento box in front of her. She could not remember a time when Sasuke had not been arrogant about his lineage, so she did not see the problem.

"Again!" Naruto shouted. "He said 'Uchiha' again! What is that, the eighth time?!"

"It's just a name, Naruto."

Naruto clearly did not hear her, as he continued to stare in the direction of that arrogant bastard. He simply growled again, sick of hearing Sasuke talk about his family like they were the greatest thing in the world. However, he was surprised when Kagome's arm looped around his shoulders and the girl leaned her face in close to his. He squeaked in that moment, wondering what Kagome was playing at.

Kagome smiled a little too sweetly, knowing that Naruto was uncomfortable in his current position. People might think that they were one day going to be together, but she knew that the blonde only saw himself as her protective older brother that needed to keep all the evil men in the world at bay. But! She would admit that she smiled a little more when Naruto suddenly began leaning away from her, a blush coating his cheeks.

"K-Kagome?"

"Naruto," Kagome stated, making sure her voice was breathless. "My name is Higurashi Kagome. Do you understand? Higurashi Kagome. Daughter to Higurashi Sayoko and Higurashi Katsuro, sister to Higurashi Souta, and granddaughter to Higurashi Hisao. A noble member of the Higurashi family that will one day become a great and powerful shinobi for Konoha. Higurashi Kagome. That's my name, so learn it; love it; use it. Higurashi Kagom—"

" _Knock it off!_ " Naruto suddenly shoved her away, growling. "It's not funny!"

"It is from where I'm standing," she grinned.

"You're sitting down," he scowled back.

She shrugged, returning her attention back to the bento box in front of her, before briefly glancing at Naruto's. Then, noticing that Naruto had returned to his watch over Sasuke, she asked, "Are you going to eat that?"

"Nah," he said. He had  _not_  actually heard the question.

"Alrighty then!" Kagome grinned, grabbing onto the box. With lightning fast reflexes she dug into the delicious food that her mother had made for Naruto, knowing that the boy had a bad habit of only eating ramen. However, it took Naruto only a few seconds to realize what she had done, and his head snapped to her with a horrified expression plastered on his face.

"Hey! That's mine!" Naruto whined. He could not believe that Kagome had done that. She knew that he would not give up Higurashi-san's cooking for anything in the world!

Giggling lightly, Kagome bumped her own box toward him. "There now," she said, "eat and forget about whatever Sasuke's talking about. It's not healthy for you to continue to listen to him anyway."

Naruto nodded, grabbing onto the box and digging in. Tears filled his eyes as the taste hit his tongue, and he quickly raised his face toward the sky, hoping the woman could hear him when he shouted. "Higurashi-san, I love you!"

Kagome smiled. However, Naruto quickly dampened her happy mood when he swung his head around, food spraying from his mouth as he spoke.

"Again!" Naruto growled, despite his crammed mouth. "That bastard said it  _again_!"

Kagome could only sigh in defeat. Deep inside of herself she cried, because there was no way she was going to be able to distract Naruto a second time.

* * *

Sasuke ignored Iruka-sensei as he went over the review on the shadow clone technique. He had far more important things to think about, and the technique was simple enough to perform anyway. He linked his fingers together, resting his nose on them in a thoughtful expression as he thought. Though, distantly, he heard the faint sigh from Sakura next to him and shuddered a bit.

His plan to use the Uchiha name had failed. Not that he had been leaning on the idea all that much, since Kagome basically ignored everything about the Uchiha clan, anyway. He had just hoped that he might be able to spark some interest in her by talking about how great—though it pained him to say it—his brother was, and how much his father planned to teach him once he reached the age of fifteen. He had hoped that maybe, just maybe, she might turn in his direction and begin noticing the fact that he wanted her.

Her comment had quickly washed his hope down the drain, though.

A name. That was the word was to Kagome. A name. A simple thing that described a family, or clan, of people that were related to one another—a simple thing that set them a part from the rest of society. It had no other meaning that that to her. She did not care that they were the greatest clan in Konoha,  _clearly_ , which meant he would need to begin his next tactic.

Briefly, Sasuke shifted in his seat and glanced back at the two friends. Naruto was doodling on a scrap of paper, his tongue sticking out in concentration, before Kagome bumped him in the side. The idiot glanced up, blinking innocently, before Kagome hissed that he needed to pay attention. By the time they had glanced up, he had already looked away, knowing that his staring would only cause him more trouble.

A smirk lit his face, hidden by his hands, as he thought about his next plan. It would be unfair of him, yes, but he was willing to do anything in order to catch Kagome's attention. Besides, from all the trouble the blonde gave him and the rest of the Uchiha clan, he deserved to be beat down once or twice. And he was sure that showing her how much better he was—that he truly  _was_  the best shinobi-in-training trying to grab a hold of her heart—would finally bring her attention to him.

Yes, fighting Naruto  _might_  just be his best idea yet.


	3. Downhill

Today was the day.

Sasuke smirked from behind the object of his affection, his onyx colored eyes shining. Today he was going to show her why she should pay attention to him. Today he was going to pound that annoying blonde at her side with such ease that she would  _finally_  acknowledge the fact that he was the strongest shinobi-in-training. And finally, if his plan worked well enough, he would find a way to capture her elusive heart.

"So, are we going to spar again today?" Kagome asked, as they walked toward the Academy training grounds. She was smiling brightly, and Sasuke could not wait to have that smile directed at him. True, she had smiled just for him before, but he was greedy and wanted them all for himself.

"Of course!" Naruto grinned back.

"Oh!" Kagome raised her fist and hit her hand with it. "We've also got to work on the shadow clone technique. You're getting better at it, Naruto, but you've got to concentrate more!"

"Right!" He gave a salute. "I'll remember that!"

"You better," Kagome grinned, "because if you don't, I'm going to pound you!"

"Not today you're not!" Naruto growled back playfully.

Sasuke had had enough with their useless banter. He shifted his eyes from the oblivious Kagome's back and allowed them to bore into Naruto's, and almost instantly the blonde shinobi-in-training stiffened. When he began to turn, Sasuke hid his smirk beneath a small show of arrogance. That was  _sure_  to piss the idiot off.

Naruto glared at the Uchiha. Lately he had been acting weird, and Naruto was determined to find out what it was. "What do  _you_  want, Sasuke- _kun_?" he hissed.

"I was just wondering—" the other boy looked surprised that he was  _actually_  answering his question, "—how you plan to become Hokage, since you're always going on about that, when you only spar with Kagome?"

"Ha!" Naruto huffed. "You  _obviously_  don't know how talented Kagome is! It's because of her that I'm going to be become Hokage, and when that happens, Mr. I-Wanna-Be-An-ANBU, you'll be working  _underneath_  me."

"Tch." Sasuke allowed his smirk to leak through just a bit. Naruto was easy enough to piss off in the first place, but he knew throwing the smirk in his face would really get under his skin. "If you get too used to fighting one person, you'll start to think that everyone fights that way, and then you'll get yourself  _killed_."

"Don't give me that look!" Naruto shouted. "I could beat you in thirty seconds flat! Right, Kagome!"

Kagome was not paying attention to him, though, since Hyuuga Hinata had come to ask her if she would like to spar after noticing the way Sasuke was goading him into a battle. Kagome was grinning happily at the Hyuuga girl, nodding in agreement, as she ignored them.

"I'd like to see you try," Sasuke replied. Really, it was almost  _too_  easy to get the other shinobi-in-training pissed off at him. He  _almost_  felt bad, because he had always been told by his mother  _not_  to pick on the weaker shinobi-in-training. They were people, too, though he was a little unsure whether Naruto fit into the 'people' category.

"I'll show you!" Naruto continued. "Right here, right now!"

Kagome, finally having set an agreement with Hinata, turned her attention back to the two bickering boys at her side. She almost wanted to sigh and roll her eyes at them. Seriously, she would never understand a boy's need to verbally assault their opponent  _before_  a battle. At least serious kunoichi just got down and dirty, using the verbal abuse to try and trip their opponent up  _during_  the battle. So, more than a little annoyed with them, she said, "Hey! While you two are off having your pissing contest, I'm going to be over there with Hinata!"

Sasuke twitched a little at her language, his glare becoming almost deadly as he looked at Naruto. It was his fault that she spoke that way, after all. True, it  _was_  part of her charm to be able to become  _very_  intimidating  _very_  quickly, but he hoped that she did not use that type of language while around her elders. Because if she did, it was definitely something his father would be  _more_  than happy to beat out of her.

"Got it!" Naruto smiled at her. "I'll be right over to watch once I kick Sasuke- _kun's_  ass here."

"I'd  _really_  like to see you try," Sasuke cut in.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto turned back to the arrogant Uchiha. He narrowed his light blue eyes, before he reached up and grabbed his shoulder with one hand. Swinging it in a large circle to loosen the muscles, he made a large display of getting ready. Then, turning his complete attention to Sasuke, he said, "Whenever you're ready, Sasuke. This isn't gonna take me long, so you might as well make the first move."

"No, no," Sasuke shook his head. "It wouldn't be polite of me  _not_  to let the  _girl_  go first."

" _I'm not a girl!_ " Naruto cried. The girl comment had  _really_  gotten under his skin.

"Really?" Sasuke asked. He could laugh at the sound of his own voice, since he had made sure to sound astonished. "You're always choosing to fight with one, and you're too weak to beat me, so I think you're wrong. You're  _definitely_  a girl."

"I'm going to beat that chicken-ass head of yours into the ground so much your own mother won't recognize you!" Naruto snarled in outrage. His face turned red in his anger, while his eyebrow twitched madly. "She'll scream in absolute terror, wondering what has walked into her house, and ask your brother to kill you! And he'll try, too! He'll come after you with the intent to kill, but you'll be just as much of a coward then as you are now, and you'll flee! But no one will accept you, not even your precious little fan club—"

"Why don't you actually do it instead of talking about it all day?" The mockery slipped from his mouth with ease, and Sasuke smirked at the stiffened and enraged boy. Finally, this  _was_ his moment. Kagome would be his soon enough.

"Gah!" Naruto's battle cry was not as threatening as he wanted it to sound, but it got the point across as he charged toward the other boy. The distance quickly dwindled, and Naruto swung his fist the first opportunity that he saw. However, his scrunched up face relaxed in surprise when he found himself swinging at air. A hand tapped him on the back the next moment, and he twisted around to find Sasuke standing there.

"Was that supposed to hit me?" Sasuke asked. "Because I think your aim is a little off."

"You bastard!" Naruto shouted. It  _had_  to be the hands in the pockets that really pissed him off. The Uchiha was not even taking him seriously, and he was going to pound him into the ground for it.

Naruto swung again, and Sasuke stepped back just enough to avoid the swing without making it seem like he was not trying. The blonde tried the tactic for quite a while, swinging madly and yelling, while Sasuke tried  _really_  hard to almost let him hit him. But, the game quickly became boring, and Sasuke raised his hand in that moment, smacking Naruto into the dirt.

Naruto hit the ground hard. He rolled for quite some time, barely protecting his arm when it was almost caught at an odd angle, before he came to a halt. When he did, he coughed and raised himself up onto his hands and knees.

That had hurt a lot more than he thought it would.

A shadow loomed over him quite suddenly, and Naruto looked up just in time to see Sasuke's bored face staring down at him. " _Get up_ ," the other boy hissed. Pain erupted in his chest after that, Sasuke's foot connecting with his ribcage. He raised his hand to protect it, as he coughed again.

"Get up," Sasuke commanded again. This was  _not_  how he had planned this battle. Naruto was  _supposed_  to be a little better at fighting than this, but it seemed that Kagome took it easy on him. Really easy. And it was not helping his current plan at all.

"Y-you—"

"Get up, I said," he commanded,  _again_ , after a moment. When the blonde did not move, he kicked him again. His foot dug into Naruto's stomach, the blonde shinobi-in-training  _clearly_ not realizing that his skinny arm could not protect his entire body.

"You bastard," Naruto finally hissed out. He had had enough! So, he swung himself around on his hand, sweeping his foot out where Sasuke had just been standing. The Uchiha had jumped away, but it was exactly what Naruto had planned. He got to his feet in that moment, wobbling a bit, and performed the hand seal needed to perform the shadow clone technique.

Smoke billowed into the air only a moment later.

* * *

Hinata squeaked, as a hand reached up from the ground and grabbed a hold of her ankle. The clone followed afterward, the slight difference in chakra telling Hinata's Byakugan all it needed to know, and she thrust her hand out. She struck the sternum hard, feeling it cave beneath her chakra filled hand, before the clone ceased to exist with a small cry of surprise.

She twisted on her foot quickly, rotating where her blind spot was located. Hinata was not entirely sure how Kagome had discovered it, but she knew and that could make the situation dangerous. She knew she had to keep turning, checking that one spot over and over again, because Kagome had a tendency to strike her from that angle and then disappear without a trace. Which was the only reason she did not charge the clone that came into her sight, hiding twenty yards away behind a tree.

Briefly, she wondered how Neji did it. He was constantly turning his head, constantly checking that single point that he could not see from, and it was very clear to her why he was the prodigy of the Hyuuga clan. If she could be just a little more like him, maybe she would not be so—

"Boo!"

Jumping in surprise, Hinata turned on instinct and struck out. Her chakra filled hand dug deep into a chakra point, and she realized almost immediately that the person she had hit was _not_  a clone. The chakra supply told her that much, but the nonexistent poof cemented the proof in her mind. "O-oh," she instantly retracted her hand in fear, hoping Kagome did not take offence, "I-I'm r-really sorry, K-Kagome, w-we're sp-sparring a-and you sh-shouldn't su—"

The Higurashi grinned, waving her hand a bit in Hinata's face. "Don't worry about it!" she said. "It doesn't even hurt!"

"W-what?" Hinata blinked. She had had her chakra points blocked enough times to know that it  _did_  hurt. However, the other girl's happy exterior quickly calmed her nerves. Kagome's eyes told her that she wanted her to wince, but she did not, because she did not want  _her_  to worry about her being angry with her.

"Yeah!" Kagome continued to wave her hand. "It's like a scratch, just on the inside."

"W-well, if you're sure," Hinata replied. She brought her hand up to her mouth, wishing that she could take back that hit, even if she never put enough chakra into one to  _really_  hurt her fellow shinobi-in-training. "I-I'm still r-really sorry, though."

"There's no reason to apologize." Kagome's eyes sparkled, as she continued, "We're sparring, like you said, so I should have been fast enough to move if I didn't want to get hit. And I suppose I shouldn't sneak up on people!"

Hinata dipped her head down, unsure.

"Besides—!" her loud voice clearly startled the Hyuuga, "I've got to learn how to take it! Gonna have to be tough for the future, you know, 'cause being a shinobi isn't easy!"

"I'm s-sure you'll get the po-position you want just fine, K-Kagome," Hinata smiled. Kagome's enthusiasm really was addicting.

"Speaking of which," Kagome said. "What do you want to be when you're older, Hinata?"

"U-um," Hinata blushed a little. The thought was a saddening one for her, because she knew that her father would choose her path, no matter what she wanted to be. "I-I guess I want t-to be a j-jounin-instructor, like you, b-but I ha-have a duty to my c-clan and I-I have to be str-strong to protect t-them. S-so—"

As the other girl continued, Kagome smiled sadly. Hinata's father probably  _would_  push her into becoming an ANBU or something just to toughen her up. The life of an heir, especially to such a large clan, was never easy. Knowing that, she almost felt bad for asking, because she  _knew_  the answer. But, she allowed her smile to brighten for a moment, and said, "Maybe you're father will come to see that that's what you really want to do, Hinata, and let you do it."

"Y-you really think so?" Hinata asked.

Kagome nodded. A silence reigned over them for a moment, before Kagome finally asked, "So, do you want to continue sparring?"

"I-I'm fine," Hinata replied. She knew that her father would most likely have her fight another member of the Hyuuga clan later, and depleting her chakra too much would only make him suspicious and angry. He would demand to know why she had used so much energy against a non-Hyuuga and then make her spar anyway. And, because she knew her luck was never that good, he would probably find out that it was because of Kagome and she did  _not_  want the other girl in trouble because of her.

"Ok. Then we can go watch—" Kagome turned on her heel toward the boys, allowing her eyes to rack over the scene. Her jaw fell open almost instantly, and she startled the Hyuuga once more by shouting, " _Holy crap!_ "

Hinata, despite her beating heart, turned toward the scene.

"N-Naruto!" Kagome yelled in happiness. "You did it!"

Hinata brought her hand up to her mouth once more, for Naruto  _had_  done it. Five perfect copies of himself stood close to his side, each one grinning and reaching out to give the others a high five. The very sight of them sent Hinata's heart into overdrive, because she could see hope in that small moment. If Naruto, the one that had struggled for so long, could finally use the shadow clone technique, then maybe she  _could_  be what she wanted to be when she was older.

* * *

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in surprise, as he gazed at the five clones. He could have sworn the idiot could not use that jutsu. However, his attention was pulled away from the grinning idiots as a shout rushed over the training grounds.

" _You did it!_ "

A scowl crossed Sasuke's face, as he looked at Kagome. She was rushing to the sidelines, grinning at Naruto's accomplishment. She was  _supposed_  to be watching him, damn it!?! And that little fact caused anger to grip his heart almost instantly, the need to beat Naruto into the ground quickly embedding itself into his skin, but he pressed it down. Letting his anger rule him would do him no good, since he had a mission to accomplish.

Kagome would only see him as an evil bastard if he beat her friend too much.

"Naruto!" Again, she called out to the idiot. "Great job!"

The blonde grinned happily, before his eyes returned to glaring at him. "Alright," he said, "I've had enough of this. Get him!"

The five clones rushed forward with the same straightforward nature as their creator. Sasuke knew already that they would be easy to defeat—there was no reason to summon clones of his own to the battlefield. And he proved it with ease as the first clone leapt into the air, throwing the kunai it brandished toward him, as he stepped to the side and pulled a kunai of his own from his holster.

"You're dead meat!" the clone shouted. That was all it said, though, as Sasuke's kunai embedded itself deep in its stomach.

He turned on his heel, grabbing onto the second clone's wrist, and threw it off to the side. A faint poof signaled that it had disappeared, and Sasuke's smirk returned to his face. The clones were a lot weaker than he had thought they would be. They would be gone in a fraction of a second and then, he was positive, Kagome would finally look in his direction.

"I've got you!"

Unfortunately, the third clone was  _very_  wrong. Sasuke slit its throat with a swipe of his hand, and allowed the cloud of smoke to wash over him. The fourth clone tried using it as coverage, but Sasuke was quick on his feet. It took only one kick to the chest to send the fourth clone crashing into the fifth, and they both disappeared in that instant. Once they were gone, he asked, "Is that really all you've got?"

A crowd began to gather on the sidelines, and the shinobi-in-training did not have to think about whom they would cheer for. It was an obvious choice. Cheer for Uchiha Sasuke, because he was the top Academy student of their year and he could easily defeat Uzumaki Naruto with a swipe of his hand. Though, there was always that  _one_  student that did not seem to get that memo.

Higurashi Kagome.

"That's it, Naruto!" Kagome yelled. "You almost had him! But you've got to try attacking from different angles to trip him up!"

"Got it!" Naruto grinned, as he performed the shadow clone technique again.

Sasuke tilted his head just slightly when three of Naruto's new clones ceased to exist almost instantly. Another soon doubled over, holding its stomach, and disappeared with them. Chuckling at the sight, he asked, "Are you running low on chakra already?"

" _No!_ " Naruto yelled. He did not understand. His clones should not be disappearing if he had finally mastered the shadow clone technique. But, that could only mean—

"Naruto!" Kagome called again. "You've got to concentrate! Don't let Sasuke distract you!"

Had he not—Sasuke instantly stopped that train of thought.  _Clearly,_  he had yet to prove to Higurashi Kagome that he was the best of the best. His anger was pushing back toward the surface, though, as she continued to cheer for Naruto. Why did she never reaction the way she was  _supposed_  to?

Again, Naruto nodded. " _Got it!_ " This time, only a single clone disappeared when his new batch of five came into existence around him. He grinned at the accomplishment, positive that he was finally beginning to understand how to use the jutsu.

"If that's the best you can do, you really must be a girl," Sasuke let slip.

"I've had  _enough_  of you!  _I'm not a girl!_ " Naruto shouted. Signaling to his clones, he sent them into action, as he continued to shout. "I'm ending this here and now, Sasuke- _kun_!"

"Tch." Sasuke was not fazed at all by the sight of the clones charging him. His eyes were shifted over to Kagome, wishing she would just open her eyes and see that he was trying to catch her attention. He quickly decided, watching her, that it was time to draw away that veil keeping her from seeing his want. "That's where you're wrong,  _dobe_. I'm going to finish this here and now."

"I'd like to see you try!" Naruto threw back at him.

Sasuke did not reply. He knelt down, putting his kunai back in his holster where it belonged, and allowed his hands to shift through a series of familiar hand seals. The chakra built in his chest almost instantly, but he waited—waited for the moment the clones were close enough that they could not escape—before he released it. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" he shouted when the moment was right, releasing the chakra in the form of deadly fire.

Smoke surrounded him as the clones were destroyed, but Sasuke's little world of victory narrowed down when he heard a scream. Her scream. Horrified and worried, but not for him.

" _Naruto!_ "

Sasuke rose to his feet, as the smoke cleared away. His onyx eyes immediately searched and found Kagome, kneeling at Naruto's side. The blonde was clutching his arm, the skin burned and blackened, and she was trying desperately to help him get up. Instantly he took a step toward them, hoping she would understand.

He had not meant to hit Naruto. That  _really_  was an accident.

Her angry, flaming blue eyes snapped toward him. She shrieked, " _Go away!_ "

"Ka—" she cut him off.

She was  _so_  beautiful, despite her anger. But her words cut him deeply. "Go bully someone else for once in your damn life!"

Another Uchiha, a kunoichi, stepped forward to hiss, "You can't talk like that to him,  _Higurashi_."

"Back off, Leiko!" There was so much venom in her voice that, surprisingly, the Uchiha girl did just that. "This is between me and that arrogant prick!"

Iruka-sensei, finally having come to Naruto's aid, lifted the boy in order to take him to the hospital. Kagome dogged at his heels, her head turned just slightly to glare deeply into Uchiha Sasuke's eyes, and not one of his fan club members uttered a word to the angry girl.

Sasuke's hand clenched the moment they disappeared. No one came to speak to him, though he had not expected them to, and he was left with a moment to think. A moment to decide how to deal with the situation, since it was clear that Kagome's anger would take some time in order to leave. It always had before, so it was only a matter of time.

Determination in his eyes, Sasuke decided.

Operation fail was definitely in affect.


	4. Operation Fail, Part I

"Nah!" he grinned. "I'm fine!"

The other shinobi-in-training laughed slightly at the blonde. What they found funny was not the fact that Uchiha Sasuke had hurt him—though his spirit could  _not_  be dampened—but the fact that Uzumaki Naruto was trying to write off the pain. He was cracking jokes as if he only had so much more time before the world ended, but they could see that each time he moved, he winced.

"Besides—!" Naruto flashed another grin. "This isn't nearly as bad as last year, when Kagome decided to beat me up after Neji sent her all those—"

"I thought I told you to shut up about that," the girl hissed in his ear. Her deadly tone warned him of the danger he was putting himself in, and Naruto turned his head up slightly to see the glint in her eyes. Her face was just as deadly as her voice, a wicked little grin settled on her lips.

He paled considerably.

Her honey colored eyes narrowing upon the other two shinobi-in-training, Mizuki flipped her hair just slightly and caught Naruto's attention. "Now, now, Naruto- _kun_ , why don't you _share_  what Neji-sama gave Kagome with the rest of the class?" Damn it! She was going to get that information, even if she had to break Naruto in order to get it.

Naruto remained silent, his eyes focused solely on Kagome. Only when her wicked little grin stretched a bit further on his face did he speak. " _Oh god!_ "

" _Naruto!_ " Iruka's eyebrow twitched considerably. He would have thought that after so many years of being in the Academy that the boy would understand that he could not  _yell_ whenever he felt like it. Though, he sighed, he knew it was probably because of his leniency.

Naruto sank into his seat, his face turned a ghostly white. If Kagome planned to look at him like that for much longer, he would plead with her. Never tell her little secret to anyone! Just as long as she promised never to give him that evil stare again.

His only reprieve came when Uchiha Sasuke turned just slightly in his seat to look back at them, because Kagome's glare was redirected toward the Uchiha. Lightning seemed to channel itself between them for several moments, before Sasuke finally turned away like a puppy with his tail between his legs. And Naruto chuckled underneath his breath at the sight, because it was hilarious to see the boy in such a position.

"Don't think I've forgotten about  _you_."

Naruto let out a small sound, as Kagome's head whipped back in his direction.

"You two are so bothersome," a voice called down from the higher seats.

Kagome turned to where she knew the voice had come from, her glare settling onto Nara Shikamaru. The lazy boy with his head on his desk, though he was undoubtedly intelligent, stiffened underneath her stare almost instantly. "Do you want some too, Shikamaru," she asked far too sweetly, "because I'm sure I have enough to share with the  _whole_  class."

He shifted a little in his seat, nervous underneath the girl's angry glare.  _Man_ , that girl could get scary when she wanted to. Finally, he said, "Tch."

"Hn," Kagome hummed. She had done her job well!

"Ugh," Mizuki called. "You're so  _rude_  and vulgar and—and simply not a normal girl!"

"Hey—!" Naruto shouted, ending his silence.

Mizuki ignored him easily, "I will never understand what Neji-sama sees in you."

Her shoulders slumping, Kagome uttered quietly, "Neither will I, Mizuki. Neither will I."

"Did you say something?" the Hyuuga follower asked.

"Nope!" Kagome grinned suddenly.

Mizuki narrowed her eyes at the other girl. She simply could  _not_  see what Neji liked in that girl. She did not praise his skills, or wait for him to come back from missions. All she was, was a complicated mess of emotions that shifted without reason and so suddenly that it could scare a person. No girl, or human being, should be able to change emotions so fast. It was simply unnatural!

Mizuki paused in her pondering. Maybe that was what attracted Neji to the girl?  _No!_  Certainly  _not_! It was unbelievable to the point that Mizuki almost snorted, though her mind did silently file it away in a back corner of her head.

"Sasuke-kun, are you—" he did not even let her finish her sentence.

"Whatever," the Uchiha said. He turned away from the fan girl, resting his head onto his hand, and tried to debate how much longer it would be before Kagome's anger subsided, even a little bit.

"That was  _so_  mean," Kagome whispered.

"I know!" Naruto  _whispered_  back. He made sure his voice was  _just_  loud enough that each word would jab into Sasuke's head. He was still pretty pissed off about that fireball.

"He could have at least let her finish her sentence," she continued.

"Definitely," Naruto nodded in agreement. "Though, I find it kind of odd that he hasn't tried to shut us up yet."

Kagome looked down at the Uchiha, staring off toward the windows as if they would be his salvation. She did find it was little odd that he only sat there twitching. Normally he would have told someone to be quiet, at least, by the second sentence. But, she supposed his father could have gotten a hold of him. Yelled at him. Smacked him around a little. Beat him and forced a medic-nin to repair the damage. There were so many possibilities, but at the moment Kagome was more than willing to think of each and every one.

He had no right to hit Naruto with that fireball!

"Indeed, very odd," Kagome chirped.

"Will you two shut up?" Sakura hissed, her green eyes flashing as she turned in their direction. "Sasuke-kun doesn't need to listen to your commentary!"

"Eh?" Kagome blinked. "Look at her. We're defending her and she's defending  _him_. What do you think about  _that_ , Naruto?"

"I think," Naruto began, "that Sakura—"

As Sakura's fist connected with his face, all he  _could_  think was that Sakura's punches  _hurt_. He grabbed onto his nose the moment she pulled away, whimpering at the pain that radiated up through his face.

"Hey—!" She was  _not_  going to let Sakura get away with that one! She could not even believe that she had just  _hit_  Naruto, and right in front of her!

"I told you two to shut up!" Sakura growled.

Ino, her mouth open in shock, blinked at the other girl. Then, she scowled, "I think Sasuke-kun can defend himself, Sakura. So, if he doesn't have a problem with them talking about you two, you don't have any right to hit Naruto!"

"Why don't you go back to writing your love letter to Uchiha  _Itachi_ , Ino!" she hissed.

"Why don't you stop being such a bitch?" Ino snarled.

" _Sit down, all of you!_ " Iruka shouted from the front of the class. He glared over them, watching Sakura and Ino closely, because he knew that though they were sitting, they were more than ready to go for each other's throats. "Though you didn't notice, the bell has rang! This is class time! And even if it wasn't, you shouldn't be fighting with your fellow shinobi unless sparring and  _especially_  not in a peaceful environment!"

Kagome patted Naruto on the back, agreeing with Iruka-sensei on all the issues he spoke about except one. The classroom, from what she had seen since entering the Academy, was _never_  a peaceful environment.

Clearly he needed to update his notes on that subject.

* * *

It was a simple mistake; one that any shinobi could have made.

Smoke billowed from Sasuke's mouth, as he clutched his neck. Damn it, his throat was on fire! It hurt so much that he felt his knees shaking, his body demanding that he hit the floor and try anything to make the pain go away. He had not expected it to hurt that much, but then again, he had never thought about purposely screwing up the Uchiha's signature fire technique, either. Not before her, at least.

A part of his brain hissed that it was all Higurashi Kagome's fault. If she would just notice that he liked her, wanted her, he would have never thought about screwing up the fire technique! If she were not  _so_  damn oblivious, his throat would not be on fire! If she would just realize that he had not meant to hit that idiot, Naruto, with that fireball, the event would have never happened!

Sasuke was quick to push down that hissing part of his brain, though. It did not matter if Kagome was the reason that his throat was on fire, as long as he got what he wanted in the end. Besides, it did not hurt that much—he  _was_  training to become a shinobi, after all.

Iruka-sensei, always present and watchful, was quickly at his side. "Are you alright, Sasuke?"

"I—" more smoke escaped his mouth, "—I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Iruka asked. "I can get you some water for that throat, and you can sit down for a while if—"

"I'm fine," Sasuke said again, brushing him off.

Iruka almost sighed at the Uchiha's arrogance. He was clearly trying to regain some of his dignity after that pitiful display. And Iruka could understand why, though he was a little confused over Sasuke's sudden lack of concentration. "Well, if you're sure," he frowned.

"I am," Sasuke replied. His throat throbbed again as he spoke, but he ignored the pain. His eyes were already searching for the one that he had performed the display for, and he found her looking at him from Naruto's side. He stared for a moment, sliding his eyes over to the blonde, before looking away.

A smirk stretched across his face as he turned away from them. A few more displays like that and it would be easy to make Kagome  _help_  him once he pleaded his  _case_.

The shinobi-in-training watching from a distance began to whisper to one another the moment Sasuke was no longer looking toward them. They had  _never_  seen Uchiha Sasuke screw up in ninjutsu before! And they whispered more when they realized that he had  _just_  tripped up in taijutsu class a few hours before. It scared them to suddenly see the best Academy student mess up, because they could not think of a single reason for his concentration to be elsewhere.

* * *

"Did you see that?" Naruto laughed, slapping his knee. That had to have been the best thing he had seen  _all_  week. Uchiha Sasuke, the guy that just blasted him a few days before, messed up the  _same_  technique! His smile stretched a bit more as he grabbed his neck in mockery, choking, "Oh, look at me! I'm Uchiha Sasuke, and I'm hurt, but you should totally love me  _more_!"

"Don't be mean, Naruto," Kagome scowled. True, she was a little pissed off that Sasuke had burned Naruto's arm, but there was no reason for him to make fun of him. "He could have seriously gotten hurt."

That  _was_  the perfect Kagome response, but Naruto rolled his eyes when he heard it. "You're  _too_  nice to that bastard, Kagome," he replied. He would have crossed his arms, too, but it hurt too much. The medic-nin that had worked on him had said she had done all that she could, but the way she scurried out of the room afterward made Naruto suspicious of everything she had said.

"Hey!" Kagome scowled harder. "He could have gotten hurt! And, if you didn't notice, he looked over here afterward. I think he might be guilty about what he—"

Naruto snorted so loudly that a few other students turned to look at them.

"Don't give me that look," Kagome growled. She had been around Naruto long enough to know that he thought she was crazy, and she was  _not_  going to take it from him. "I'm serious! I really think that he might be guilty about hitting you with that fireball! Why else would he have suddenly lost his concentration?"

"You're no fun, Kagome," Naruto said, ignoring what she had said. "One minute you're a scary Uchiha-killing monster and the next you want to help him lick him wounds."

"I do not want to help him  _lick_  his wounds!?!" Kagome snapped. She could  _not_  believe Naruto had just said that! What did he take her for, some Uchiha Sasuke Fan Girl?!

"I mean,  _come on_ , this is Uchiha Sasuke," Naruto made a face, "we're talking about. He's incapable of  _feeling_ , let alone being guilty!"

"Just because he's an Uchiha does not mean Sasuke can't feel guilt," Kagome argued. She briefly noticed that a Sasuke fan club member turned to glare at them, obviously wondering why they were talking about her precious Sasuke. She was easily ignored, though, since they could talk about him all they wanted. Hell, if she wanted to scream his name from the rooftops, she could!

Not that she would, but it sounded good in her head.

Naruto's voice rose a bit, "Every Uchiha is incapable of feeling!"

"Will you shut up? You're going to get us in trouble," another student hissed. A lot of other shinobi-in-training quickly agreed, because they knew that Naruto's need to shout would most likely get them into trouble with the ninjutsu instructor. And personally, none of  _them_  wanted to get into trouble because of the idiot.

"Eh?" Naruto blinked. Then, lowering his voice, he grinned sheepishly. "Whoops."

"Naruto," Kagome kept her voice low, "every Uchiha  _is_  capable of feeling."

"No, they're not," he hissed back.

" _Yes_ , they are," Kagome frowned. Why did Naruto have to argue over it? The evidence was right in front of them!

" _No_ , they're—" Naruto stopped quite suddenly, straightening his back. He frowned a bit, bringing his hand up to his chin, and allowed himself a moment to think. Now that he thought about it—

"What's the matter?" Kagome asked, concerned. It was not often that Naruto decided to stop arguing with her, so there had to be something wrong with him.

"Sasuke's up to something," he stated slowly.

Kagome gave him an odd stare, wondering how in the world he came up with that from their argument. She supposed she would never understand the way Naruto's brain worked, though.

"Something big," he continued.

"How do you know?" she asked out of curiosity.

"My gut," he said in the same slow tone. "It's been screaming at me all week that something was weird, and I just realized that it's Sasuke. It has to be."

"What gave you that idea?" she tried again. Best to try a different approach, since his answer had  _not_  actually answered her question.

"Well," Naruto started, "first there were all those strange gifts that you got. Don't get your hopes up, though, cause they were definitely from Neji—"

"And just  _what_  are you implying?" Kagome hissed. Again!?! Did he seriously think she was an Uchiha Sasuke Fan Girl!?! Sure, she appreciated the thought the person put into the gifts, but she was really only wearing the cat charm to be nice. She did not know where they came from, though she would like to know, but she did not  _want_  them to have come from Uchiha Sasuke!

"—and then he starts going on and on about how great the Uchiha clan is!" he basically ignored her. "Then he blasts me with that fire technique!" He was still pissed about that one. "But!  _But!_ "

"But!" Kagome asked, forgetting her anger in that moment.

"But then," Naruto stated proudly, "he screws up the same technique only a few days later!"

"I already told you—" Kagome sighed, but the blonde did not hear a word of it.

"Suspicious!?!" Naruto's voice rose.

" _Naruto_ ," she tried.

" _Yes_!" he cried. "Suspicious enough that it must be investi—"

A shadow loomed over the short shinobi-in-training, a voice calling out, " _Uzumaki Naruto_."

Naruto stiffened suddenly, his eyes widening as he turned to find the ninjutsu instructor, Denjiro Masao, standing over him. The man's wild brown eyes glared down at him, and Naruto gulped while staring into them. He could swear that he saw his death flash across those crazy eyes every time he looked into them, and he whimpered just slightly.

"What have I told you about yelling?" Masao asked.

"M-Masao-sensei?" Naruto whimpered, knowing that he would not get away. The ninjutsu instructor would chase him through hell and high water just to dish out his punishment.

Kagome took a quick step away from her friend, her eyes widening, as the ninjutsu instructor began to smile slowly. The sight of the smile was enough to make her turn tail and run, leaving her friend to his own demise. There was simply no way she was going to stand up to that crazy man, and she was more than willing to let Naruto be punished alone when it came to him. Because, seriously, who let that crazy man become the ninjutsu instructor!?!

It made her wonder if maybe Naruto was right and the Hokage really  _was_  going senile in his old age.

* * *

"Well, if you're sure, Sasuke-kun," Sakura stated slowly. She had just hoped that he would see it her way for once. That he would let her help him concentrate and stop messing up that fire technique he was so proud of. It scared her to see him clutching his throat in pain every time he tried to use it, and she only wanted to see him perform it correctly once more. Maybe even acknowledge the fact that she had been the one to help him—though she knew that was not happening now.

The blatant roll of his eyes stabbed at her heart, as he stated, "I'm going to the bathroom."

"O-oh," she nodded, blushing a little. She knew  _not_  to follow him into such forbidden territory, no matter how much she wanted to make him understand that she only wanted to help him become stronger. And hopefully receive his love in return. "O-ok."

He was already walking away from her, though, and she doubted that he had heard a single word that had fell from her lips. She stared at his back, wishing he would turn around and see how much he was breaking her apart inside. She wished that he could just understand how much she wanted to be with him, make him happy, and hold his heart in her hand. She wished he would just  _acknowledge_  it, instead of constantly ignoring her existence.

A tear streaked down her cheek as he rounded a corner, disappearing from her sight. He had left her alone, never noticing that she was still standing there, wishing that he would tell her at least why he would not acknowledge her feelings. Why it seemed that everyone else around her could catch the attention of an Uchiha they liked, but the one she wanted constantly turned away from her? Was she not good enough? Was she not pretty enough? Did she lack the strength, the stamina, or the intelligence?

What was wrong with  _her_?

"Sakura?"

She stiffened when she heard the voice, her heart instantly locking itself back up inside her chest. She wiped at her eyes, destroying any evidence of her weakness, and felt her determination swell once more. "What do  _you_  want, Ino?" she asked, turning just slightly to see the other girl.

Ino's eyes narrowed in suspicion, before she shrugged slightly. "I thought Sasuke-kun told you he didn't want your help?" she asked. It did not take a genius to figure out why Sakura was standing in the hallway alone.

"I wasn't following him, if that's what you're implying!" Sakura snapped. She was quick to defend herself, before she noticed something odd. "Why are you out here, anyway?"

"Not that it's any of your business," Ino scowled, "but I have to go to the bathroom."

Sakura stood still for a moment, as Ino began to walk by her. Then, realizing that the blonde girl was about to go in the same direction that Sasuke had, she caught onto her wrist. "You're not going anywhere!" she bit out.

"Hey, I just have to go pee, so why are—?" Ino started. Her voice died away when she recognized the look on Sakura's face, though, because she knew why she would have that hardened, crazy, defensive look any day.

"You're not going to fool me, Ino-pig!" Sakura continued. "I know what you're real game is, and you're not going to get away with it while I'm around!"

"I don't know what your problem is, billboard brow," Ino hissed, "but I'm not going to go walking into the boy's bathroom  _just_  because Sasuke-kun's in there. What do you take me for, a pervert?"

"Ha!" Sakura huffed. "Don't even try that one with  _me_ , Ino-pig. I know for a fact that you walked straight into the  _boy's_  bathroom because  _Itachi_ —"

"You actually listened to that stupid little rumor?" Ino spat. "Gah, I knew you were getting really obsessive when it came to Sasuke-kun, but I didn't think you started listening to those airheads."

"They're your friends!" Sakura cried, her mouth falling open.

"Yeah!" Ino rolled her eyes. "But that doesn't mean that I don't think they're completely stupid! They only became shinobi in order to try and catch Itachi-kun or Sasuke-kun's attention! That's all they think about! They don't care that they have to be strong to catch their attention, or that they're supposed to defend the village after they pass the Academy test!"

Sakura stared at the other girl for a moment. She could have sworn that that was the reason Ino was striving to become a shinobi, to try and catch the attention of Uchiha Itachi. Yet the way she spoke told her that Ino also wanted to be a shinobi because of other reasons, and Sakura wondered how much she did not know about her old friend-turned-rival.

"So, you might as well stop trying to be a guard dog, Sakura," Ino huffed, "because I'm  _not_  that kind of girl!"

"Where do you think you're going?" Sakura hissed, when Ino tried to walk away again. She was  _not_  stupid. Ino could not fool her. The girl might say that she would try not anything, but it was Uchiha Sasuke they were talking about. There was no way she would not try something!

"I told you," Ino hissed back, "I'm  _going_  to the bathroom."

"No, you're  _not_ ," Sakura growled.

"What is your problem?" Ino screeched. "I already told you—!"

"I'm not letting you try anything with Sasuke-kun!" Sakura snarled, her green eyes flashing in her anger.

"Fine!" Ino cried. "If you want me to fight my way through you, I will!"

She could press down her need to piss, despite the screaming of her bladder, if Sakura wanted to play that way. Especially when the other girl just could  _not_  understand that she liked Itachi more than Sasuke in the first place, so she  _really_  was  _not_  going to go walking into the bathroom after him! And hopefully beating the other kunoichi down a little might get that point across!

* * *

Sasuke glanced over his shoulder a third time, making sure that Haruno Sakura was  _not_  trying to follow him. The girl simply could not get it through her head that he did not like her that way, no matter how much she tried to push herself upon him. And even if he did, his father would  _never_  allow a kunoichi with pink hair into the Uchiha clan. He would probably try to get rid of her  _just_  so the hair gene she carried would not become a part of the Uchiha clan.

Now that he thought about it, that would  _not_  be a bad way to get rid of her.

Well, if he had not already decided that Higurashi Kagome would be the only—

The other student collided with him so suddenly that Sasuke did not have the chance to prepare for it. He stumbled back, his first instinct telling him to grab the other person by the throat and strangle them until they understood the disrespect they had just dealt the Uchiha clan. And he would have, if the other person had not been Higurashi Kagome.

"Ow," the girl mumbled from her position on the floor. "That  _hurt_."

It took a moment, but Sasuke's second instinct kicked into action when his mind completely registered that,  _yes_ : Higurashi Kagome  _was_  on the floor in front of him. That,  _yes_ : they were alone for the first time in forever. That,  _yes_ : his stomach  _was_  beginning to do flips when she glanced up at him from beneath her lashes, giving him just the faintest glimpse of her blue eyes. But when it did, he allowed himself the chance to reach out his hand to help her up.

" _Oh_ , thanks!" she grinned, taking the offered appendage. "I'm  _really_  sorry about that, by the way! I'm such a klutz!"

He helped her to her feet, his eyes narrowed just a bit in suspicion. She  _was_  angry at him, was she not? He had burned Naruto's arm not that long ago, so there really was  _no_  reason for her to suddenly act so nice toward him. But, he supposed he should not look a gift horse in the mouth, as he said, "Whatever."

She stiffened just the slightest bit at his response, her pretty blue eyes narrowing in his direction. The feeling in his stomach increased with the attention, and he almost gulped a little. He had  _never_  been alone with Kagome before, despite his desire for her to someday be his wife, so he was unprepared for the tightening of his gut, the increased pace of his heart, or the blush that threatened to spread across his face.

And, damn it, he knew in that moment that she would become his greatest weakness. It could cost him his life in the future, but it was already developing. There was nothing he could do to stop it, even when he tried to beat down the faint blush rising on his face.

" _Well_ ," she hissed lightly, "if you don't want my apology, I won't waste my time giving it to you, Sasuke."  _Clearly_ , the anger she felt toward him was  _still_  just beneath the surface. "I'll be going back to class, instead."

She brushed by him, her shoulder lightly knocking against his, before he realized his perfect opportunity was walking away from him. So, quickly trying to correct the situation, he spun on his heel and grabbed onto her wrist. "Wait!"

She stopped, glancing back at him in confusion. "What?"

Her wrist was  _so_  small. Sasuke almost did not want to let go of it, as he was given the chance to stare into her shining blue eyes, but he forced himself to drop it. He had not found that one thing that could capture her heart yet, so he did not dare give himself away. No matter how much he wanted to hold onto that tiny wrist and trace it with his fingers.

Her eyes narrowed again, as she snapped, "If you don't have anything—"

"I—" he paused. Damn it! She was  _just_  a girl! Yes, the girl he wanted to love him, but a girl nonetheless! It should not be  _that_  hard to talk to her!

"Yes?" she asked, trying to speed up the conversation.

Logically knowing that it was his pride preventing him from asking for her help—though the flips in his stomach said otherwise—Sasuke began to press it down into nothingness. It would do him no good to lose his perfect opportunity because of his stubborn nature.

"Seriously," Kagome's eyebrow twitched, "if you  _don't_  have anything else to say, I'm  _leaving_."

"I wanted to ask for your help." There! He had successfully shoved his pride aside and asked his question flawlessly! Now they could move on!

"Eh," Kagome blinked, "you're gonna have to speak louder, Sasuke."

Damn it! Sasuke almost allowed his stubborn blush to rise, as he finally said, "I wanted to ask for your help."

"My help?" she asked. She tilted her head a bit, blinking curiously, and Sasuke's eyes were instantly drawn to the action. It was just  _so_  cute. "Why would you need my help?"

Sasuke almost smirked, as he said, "Well, you can perform all of the Academy's basic ninjutsu without problem—"

"Oh," she blushed. His stomach tightened again, wanting to keep that look hidden from the rest of the world and never allow another person to see it. His greedy mind gobbled up the sight, devouring it, and blended the pretty pink tint of her face into his memory. "I-I'm not all that great."

He ignored her, continuing, "—and your chakra control is excellent." He paused, watching as she tried once more to correct him. "Both require quite a bit of concentration, and I—"

"Sasuke?" she asked the moment he became quiet. Her eyes reflected the worry she felt for him, and the unfamiliar feeling in his stomach twisted up in knots.

"I don't know what happened—" he actually found it quite easy to fake anger and sadness, as he stared at his hands, "—I just screwed up. I've been able to perform the Uchiha clan's fire technique since I was seven, yet all of a sudden I  _just_  can't." His hand clenched. "Now I can't focus on anything else. I'm screwing up all the time. Every time I look the other way, I trip or I use the wrong hand seal and have a jutsu blow up on me."

She was staring at him oddly, when he glanced up to make sure he had successfully managed to pull her into his little sob story, and it unnerved him a little. A look of triumph had formed in her dark blue eyes, and he could not possibly think of anything—from what he had said—that might have brought that look to her eyes. Unless, of course, she was  _happy_ that he was screwing up, but he seriously doubted it, since Kagome had  _never_  been that type of girl before.

"I can't concentrate—" he reached up to push his hair out of his face, partly as a show of frustration and partly to gage her reaction to the movement, "—and I know that you're not exactly happy with me at the moment, but I need your help. You're good at—"

She smiled a little, and cut him off. "You don't have to try and flatter me just to make me help you. Sure, you  _did_  hit Naruto with that fireball, but you didn't mean to, right?" Her eyes flashed afterward, as a warning bell began to go off inside his head.

"No," he grumbled. "I only meant to destroy the clones. I expected him to  _at least_  jump out of the way." Any  _serious_  shinobi would have jumped out of the way. And from the way the blonde continuously went on and on about how he was going to become Hokage, he had  _expected_  him to at least be a serious shinobi.

"Well," her smile brightened, "I'd be more than happy to help you, Sasuke! I'm not entirely certain if there's a lot I can help you with, since your father and brother know a lot more than I do, but I'm willing to help!"

"Well." Sasuke paused, realizing in that instant that he had just wasted all that time for nothing. All he had to do was say he was 'sorry' about hitting Naruto and he could have easily avoided all of pain and humiliation he put himself through in ninjutsu class. And he wanted to bash his head against a wall in that moment, because he should have  _known_  that from the start. "Great."

She did not seem to notice the slight irritation in his voice. She only continued to smile, saying, "I've got time after school if you want to practice then. Though, I understand if you have—"

"No," he shook his head. No time like the present. Especially since he did basically nothing but train after Academy hours anyway. "That's fine. We can train by the Nakano River, if you'd like."

"That's the Uchiha clan's training grounds, right?" she asked, clicking her tongue lightly. She obviously knew that not many from outside the clan were allowed in the area, and was debating whether or not that was such a good idea. However, considering what he wanted and the fact that she would someday have to familiarize herself with the area anyway, Sasuke decided it would not matter.

He nodded. "Yes. My father won't mind as long as you're with me."

"Alright," she nodded. "I'll meet you outside once the bell rings, ok?"

Again, he nodded, choosing silence.

Higurashi Kagome smiled once more, before deciding that she needed to return to class. He lightly raised his hand when she waved back at him, though they would be attending the same class shortly, and let her go. He had successfully gotten what he had sought out to achieve, and now it would only be a matter of time before he did or said something that caused Kagome to become putty in his hands.

A smirk lit up his dark features.

Higurashi Kagome would love him soon enough.


	5. Operation Fail, Part II

"You agreed to  _what_?!?" Naruto exclaimed, his mouth falling open in shock.

"I agreed," Kagome stated with a slight roll of her eyes, "to  _help_  Sasuke with his concentration."

"But,  _but_ ," Naruto gasped, "this is  _Uchiha Sasuke_  we're talking about! The same guy that burned my arm! Look at it, it still hurts!"

"He didn't mean to hit you, Naruto," she scowled. "I don't know how many times I have to tell  _you_  that, but he told me himself. And I believe him."

Naruto flung his good arm into the air, nearly tripping over his feet—a hard feat, considering he was sitting down. "W-what!" he yelled. "You believe him! How could you betray me like this, Kagome?!"

"Oh, stop being such a drama queen," she snorted. "Your arm is healing and it's not that big of a deal that I plan on helping him."

"Yes!" Naruto disagreed with her quickly. "Yes, it is! I already told you that I had a bad feeling about him lately, Kagome! And clearly this is  _it_! He's going to try and break us up, I just know it, and I don't want to lose you! You're my best friend! How could you let him manipulate you like thi—"

She quickly removed her hand from his mouth once he shut up, just in case he tried to lick her,  _again_. Then, seeing those enormous puppy dog eyes he was giving her, she huffed. "Look, I'm  _just_  going to help him. I'm not going to suddenly decide that I don't want to be your friend anymore."

"But, you'll start hanging out with  _other_  Uchiha members!" Naruto cried. "It starts with one, but then the rest of them will realize how good you are and want to train with you, too! And then, oh  _then_ , you'll be spending so much time with them that you'll start to  _like_  them! And, and," Naruto hiccupped in fear, "then you'll forget about little Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Naruto," she said softly. "I'm not going to forget about you. I don't know how anyone could."

"This is the Uchiha clan, though," he whimpered. "The great and terrifying clan with the Sharingan!"

"Yeah, and I'll admit that that's pretty cool—the red eyes and all—but I hate people that try to be their friends  _just_  because they have the Sharingan," Kagome continued.

"That's not what I meant," he snapped. "They'll make you forget! They'll decide that they want to keep to you for themselves! They'll notice how great you are and decide that you _must_  be one of them, so they'll take you in and—"

"I'm not going to leave my family,  _either_ ," she growled. Naruto was taking the entire thing  _way_  too far. She was  _not_  going to forget about him, join the Uchiha clan, or do some other crazy thing  _just_  because she helped Sasuke  _once_  with his concentration.

"Fugaku will  _make_  you!"

" _No_ , he won't," she growled heatedly.

" _Yes_ ," Naruto nodded a couple times, "he  _will!_  He'll make a deal with Higurashi-san and she'll give you up once he tells her that you'll be well cared for, trained to the fullest, and one day marry someone with a high rank!"

"My mother won't give me up!" she shouted. "I don't know where you got that  _damn_  idea, but you can take that back!"

"Kagome?" Naruto asked, suddenly quiet.

"You've spent enough time around my mother to know that she would  _never_  think about giving Souta or I away, no matter  _what_  someone else said she'd get in return!" Kagome continued angrily. "So you can take that back and just  _shut up!_ "

Naruto's head whirled, as Kagome huffed. Had Higurashi-san  _almost_  given one of them away? It would make sense, from the way Kagome suddenly snapped at him.

A moment went by, before Kagome deflated. She smiled a little, saying, "I'm sorry I yelled at you, Naruto."

"Kagome, did—?" He could not bring himself to ask.

"Yeah," she smiled bitterly. "My mother thought about giving up Souta when he was born, because that was when my father was killed in action. She wasn't sure if she could take care of him, with how bad our money troubles had become, but my grandfather changed her mind. Went on and on about how that was disgraceful and no Higurashi member should ever give up one of their own because they  _thought_  they might not be able to take care of them correctly. But, that's in the past and I shouldn't have yelled at you because of it."

"Oh," Naruto said quietly. "I didn't know that. I'm sorry."

"Its ok, Naruto!" she smiled. "Its not your fault."

He blinked at her, trying to find something else to say.

"But," she sighed, "despite that, I  _am_  going to help Sasuke. I agreed and you can't change my mind."

Naruto, surprisingly, did not argue again.

"What?" she asked. "You're not going to tell me how he could suddenly corrupt my mind? Break me? Throw me in the river for disrespecting him unknowingly? Drown me? Set me on fire?"

"Nah," he grinned. "I figured you can find out for yourself when it happens."

"Well, it's not gonna!" she chuckled.

"Put your money where your mouth is," he replied humorously. He was  _really_  glad they were getting away from the subject of her past. There were probably a number of different things from that time that could set her off, and he was at a loss on how to react when she suddenly snapped at him so harshly.

"Alright," she grinned back. "One thousand yen says that I'll come back in one piece."

"Deal!" Naruto agreed. He stuck his hand out for her to shake, and was a little surprised when she did not take the outstretched appendage. "What's the matter? Scared?"

"No, I'm just surprised you didn't spit in it," she replied.

Pulling his hand back, he stared at her oddly, asking, "Do you  _want_  me to?"

"No." She shook her head. "The last time you did that it was all over my hand, and let me tell you, it's disgusting. I'd rather  _not_  have your salvia covering the palm of my hand,  _ever_."

"Then why'd you bring it up?" he growled. His eyebrow twitched just slightly.

Shrugging, she grinned secretively. Then, she said, "To make you nervous. Is it working?"

"Just shake my hand already!" he yelled.

"Oh, all right," she giggled, grabbing his hand and giving it a firm shake. "There! Are you happy now?"

"Yup," he grinned back. "Because  _now_  there's no way I can lose! That thousand yen is  _mine_!"

"Nuh uh!" she hissed lightly. "It is  _so_  mine!"

He shook his head, as his first clenched. "You'll see. Your little  _date_ —"

"It's  _not_  a date," she snarled. How many times! How many times did she have to explain to Uzumaki Naruto that she had  _never_  looked at Uchiha Sasuke the way his fan club did?! Because if there were many more, she would  _strangle_  him!

"—will go down the drain  _real_  quick, and then you'll be whining about how the mean Uchiha hurt your feelings." For show, he brought his fists to his eyes and pretended to cry lightly. "Please, Naruto- _kun_ , please! Don't make me pay you that thousand yen! Please! I was wrong!"

Snorting, she said, "Just a minute ago you were going on and on about how they would suck me into their clan. Whatever happened to that?"

"Oh, I realized that there's  _no_  possible way that Fugaku would let someone like  _you_  into the Uchiha clan," he replied, grinning madly. However, the fire that sprang up in his friend's eyes made him reconsider what he just said, while his hand moved to his holster.

"Are you  _implying_  something,  _Nar-u-to_?" she growled.

Letting out a small sound of panic, the boy suddenly yelled, " _Run!_ "

As the smoke bomb went off in her face, Kagome shrieked, " _Get back here, you traitor!_ "

* * *

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club had banned together for a single purpose. Make sure that he got home safely! And made sure that  _no one_  outside the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club managed to talk to him, or touch him, or glance in his direction. Because  _really_ , their precious Sasuke did  _not_  need some low-class shinobi, or  _especially_  a civilian, trying such things. So, they were  _more_  than willing to help!

"Look at him, he's  _so_  dreamy!" a girl squealed.

"Yeah," another girl agreed. "But, it is really too bad that he'll  _only_  be in your dreams."

The girl growled, her near silver colored eyes narrowing. "Oh? And you  _really_  think you have a chance if I  _don't_ , Asuka?" she snapped.

"Now, Mayu," Asuka huffed, "why would I  _ever_  think of such a thing?"

"Because you're an ungrateful bitch that does not deserve Sasuke-kun!" Mayu growled back. She  _really_  hated Asuka, even if the other girl  _was_  a faithful Uchiha follower.

"Girls! Girls!" a more levelheaded girl giggled. "We're not here to argue over which of us is going to get Sasuke-kun! We're here so that one of us  _will_  get Sasuke-kun!"

"Shut up, Reina," they both hissed.

"Wow," a mocking voice cut through their flock, "fighting amongst  _yourselves_? How do you Uchiha following  _freaks_  ever expect to obtain your  _precious_  Sasuke- _kun_  if you're constantly fighting with each other?"

"Ugh, why don't you go back to your precious  _Hyuuga_ , Mizuki?" Mayu snarled. She hated Asuka, but she hated Mizuki  _even_  more. Both of them could rot in a garbage bin somewhere for all she cared.

"Yeah," Asuka added. She  _also_  hated Mizuki more than she hated Mayu. "Why don't you run along and find your Neji- _sama_? I'm sure he's waiting for you somewhere." She stopped, laughing, "Oh,  _wait_ , no he's not! He's probably waiting for Higurashi Kagome from what I hear!"

Mayu grinned, stating, "That's what I hear,  _too_."

Mizuki huffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Neji-sama  _might_  have a small fascination with Higurashi, but sooner or later he will realize that that girl does  _not_  have what he needs!" she replied. "Nor does she want him."

"Oh?" Mayu snorted. "And how do you know that?"

"Because she's over there," Mizuki grinned evilly, "speaking with your Sasuke- _kun_."

" _What!?!_ " a number of girls roared. They all turned nearly at the same time, catching sight of the black haired Higurashi as she spoke with their Uchiha Sasuke  _as if_  she had the  _right_ to! A large number of outraged cries filled the air, none of them believing that Higurashi Kagome would  _ever_  have the audacity to  _speak_  with Sasuke outside of the Academy! Especially not when she had that  _Hyuuga_  dogging at her heels!

The worse part: Sasuke spoke back!!

Why!?! Their minds could not wrap around the reason as to  _why_  Sasuke would even  _want_  to talk with that filthy Higurashi. But, the desperation that they felt  _quickly_  turned to anger when the girl refused to just walk away, despite the heated glares that were boring into her body.

"That little witch!" Asuka hissed. "I'll pull all that pretty black hair out of her head!"

" _Sasuke-kun!_ " Mayu cried out, trying to catch his attention. Unfortunately, they were just  _too_  far away. Mayu's mind supplied the information quickly, when the Uchiha she loved did not turn to even acknowledge her existence.

"Oh,  _look_ ," Mizuki giggled like a little girl, "they're walking  _together_! I wonder  _what_  they could possibly have planned!" She was having a  _lot_  of fun teasing all the Uchiha Sasuke followers. Especially since the development was good for her! Neji was sure to see that Higurashi Kagome was hanging around Uchiha Sasuke and  _stop_  liking her, which meant he would finally turn his eyes upon her and finally see that she loved him more than anyone else!

"No, no,  _no_!" the levelheaded Reina shrieked.

"Well—" Mizuki decided to  _finally_  leave them to their own devices, "—I simply must be going. Neji-sama is sure to be back from the mission he was sent on a few days ago, and I must be there to greet him. I hope that you  _all_  have a  _wonderful_  evening!" Flipping her hair once more, Mizuki directed her honey colored eyes toward the Academy entrance and walked away. As she went, there was a slight skip in her step.

"We have to do something about this!" another Uchiha Sasuke Fan Girl screamed.

" _Quiet!_ "

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club quickly did so, as they glanced behind them to find Uchiha Leiko glaring heatedly toward the outrageous scene. None of them spoke, respecting the Uchiha girl's wishes, and watched as she finally snorted in amusement.

"Girls, girls," Leiko said slowly, as if she was speaking to children. "There's no reason to resort to violence  _yet_."

"Oh," Asuka demanded, "and what do you think we should do?"

"Nothing," the Uchiha replied.

"Nothing!?!" Mayu hissed. "You want us to do noth—!"

The dark, smoldering eyes of the Uchiha girl put an end to the argument. Leiko continued once they were quiet again. "Yes, nothing. To do something  _now_  would only make Sasuke-kun hate us, since he is  _clearly_  accepting Higurashi's presence. So, we will do nothing  _directly_."

"Oh," the other girls squealed. Uchiha Leiko was  _such_  a genius.

"What's the plan?" Mayu asked, grinning.

"I'm going to go have a little talk with Fugaku-sama," Leiko grinned back. "I'm sure he'll be  _very_  interested in this little situation. After all, it is not everyday that his precious son hangs around someone outside the Uchiha clan."

"But, what if you get Sasuke-kun into trouble?" another girl piped up.

"Ha!" Leiko laughed. That was  _almost_  funny! "As if Fugaku-sama will do anything to Sasuke-kun! He's his little pride and joy! The second in line to become the Uchiha Head!"

The rest of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club agreed that that was true. Uchiha Fugaku would mostly likely let anything slide when it came to Sasuke. However, each had their own suspicion about the slight edge that appeared in Leiko's voice the longer she spoke. It was  _always_  there, hidden and controlled, but they could just bet that the arrogant Uchiha was _jealous_  of her own flesh and blood. And that made them feel better about the plan, because it was not everyday that Leiko seemed human.

* * *

The Nakano River was surprisingly quiet, as Higurashi Kagome knelt down next to the flowing water. The clear water was so beautiful, glittering lightly in the sunlight, as she dipped her fingers lightly into the moving current. She was making a fool of herself, she knew that, but she loved the steady flow of the Nakano River and decided that the section within the Uchiha clan training grounds was  _definitely_  her favorite.

Sasuke watched her silently, his onyx colored eyes taking in each movement and memorizing it for a later date. He briefly wondered what she was doing, considering they had agreed to train together, but decided not to comment as she giggled and splashed a bit of water into the air. It was  _nice_  to see her having such a good time, though he often saw her joking around with Naruto, and he did not wish to ruin the moment.

Especially with that damn insistent flip in his stomach.

Leaning back on her heels, Kagome straightened herself into a standing position. She turned her attention away from the Nakano River, despite how pretty it was underneath the gleaming sun, and twisted herself in the direction of the silent Uchiha standing with her. "Ok," she threw her fist into the air, smiling, "I've seen enough. This is  _definitely_  the perfect place to train!"

Sasuke almost snorted. Of course it was the perfect place to the train. That was the main reason his clan instantly latched onto the land so long ago, claiming it for themselves and stating that no one else could use the area without permission from the Uchiha patriarch or Hokage.

"So—" she did not notice the slight roll of his eyes, "—we should get to work!"

He shrugged lightly, trying to ignore the flipping in his stomach, as she flashed her pretty blue eyes in his direction. "You agreed to help me, not the other way around," he stated. "So whatever you think is best,  _sensei_."

"Hn, I like the sound of that," the future jounin-instructor sighed. She did not like the tone that he attached to the word, but just hearing it was exciting. Someday! Yes, someday she would have a genin squad of her own! She could see it now! "Kagome-sensei.  _Kagome-sensei_. Scratch that, I  _love_  the sound of that!"

Sasuke shook his head at the slight stupidity that she showed. And his eyebrow twitched, because she had definitely spent too much time around that idiot friend of hers. There was simply no other place that she could have picked it up. Though, it was a part of her charm, so he figured that he could live with it.

Blinking out of her little world, Kagome said, "We should probably start with you trying to use the fireball technique, that way I can watch and try to assess the reason why you keep messing up."

"Haven't you seen me do it enough times in ninjutsu class?" he asked. She had to have seen it at least once. Masao-sensei was constantly telling him to perform a demonstration in order to give the other shinobi-in-training something to strive for.

"There are," she paused, " _distractions_  in ninjutsu class."

Of course. Naruto. He should have known.

She eyed him after a moment, wondering why he was just standing there. She shifted her stance, becoming a little annoyed, before she said, " _Well?_ "

With ease, the Uchiha stepped away from the kunoichi-in-training and began to slide through the familiar set of hand seals. And, steeling himself, he shifted his fingers during a single seal just enough that he performed another seal altogether. Chakra gathered from his mouth to his chest within moments, before he finished the final seal and released it. Unfortunately, nothing could prepare him for the sudden burn that coursed through his throat, even when he knew it was coming.

Smoke drifted from his lips, as he grabbed onto his neck. His eyes clenched shut, the pain radiating out through his body, and he cursed his current plan. His nails sank into his flesh, trying to divert his nervous systems attention, but it did not help. His lips opened just slightly, as he gasped for breath, and he was more than a little surprised when thin fingertips pressed up against his bottom lip.

"Here," Kagome said softly. "Drink this."

The cool water slid down the back of his throat as she tilted her hands and soothed the burn. He was rather grateful for the quick assistance, and allowed himself a moment to shove aside his Uchiha pride and drink from her dainty palms. Though, he did bite down the urge to grab onto her wrists in order to keep them there just a little longer.

Now was  _not_  the time for that.

"I'm gonna say that went rather  _badly_ ," she muttered.

"You think so?" he scoffed. He had just burned his throat for her, again! It was  _meant_  to go badly, though the oblivious girl did not seem to realize how hard he was trying to bring her attention to him.

She ignored him, continuing to mutter to herself. "Now, what was the hand sequence for the fireball technique? Snake-Tiger… uh, Tiger…" her voice trailed off a little, as her memory fizzled out. She was good at using the same technique after she learned it, but it was all on instinct. Her written test scores clearly showed that, since her mother often times said she ran more on instinct than anything else. "No, was it Snake-Tiger-Boar? Or Snake-Tiger-Horse?"

Blinking, Sasuke swallowed rather loudly as he calmly stated, "Snake-Tiger-Boar-Monkey-Horse-Tiger."

She nodded, before beaming, "There's your problem then!"

"I don't—" He could easily guess where she was getting at, but he had not expected her to find the problem so quickly. Then again, the Higurashi family was said to have very sharp eyes—perfect for assassination missions. People sometimes joked that they could rival the Hyuuga clan if they had a kekkei genkai, since their keen eyes seemed to notice even the smallest detail out of place. And that little fact made him pause, because the girl was clearly distracting him to the point that he was not thinking through his plans very well.

"The Monkey seal is like this, silly!"

Without warning, she was suddenly holding his hands, and Sasuke almost recoiled from the contact. He was not used to people touching him—though, he  _did_  often wonder it would be like to have Higurashi Kagome willingly do so—and avoided it most of the time. So, it really was not his fault when a light sheen of color appeared on his face.

Her callused fingers glide across his flesh, heating it, and he had to forcefully stop himself from shaking. It felt so  _good_. He wanted her to touch him, willingly, affectionately, and finally realize that he liked her. Wanted her. Needed her. And so he allowed the contact, relaxing in her hold, as she skillfully positioned his hands into the Monkey seal.

"There!" Kagome grinned. "That's the reason you're screwing up!"

He stared at his hands almost stupidly, irritated with himself and with her for pulling her hands away. Then, he just added fuel to the fire when he spoke. " _Oh_."

"Now, why don't you try it again so—!"

A commanding voice cut through the peaceful atmosphere surrounding the Nakano River, effectively destroying the enthusiasm that came from Kagome's encouragement.

" _Sasuke_."


	6. Brother Dearest

" _Sasuke_."

The Uchiha boy stiffened just a little bit, turning his head just enough to see his father standing nearby. He scowled at the man, briefly flickering his onyx colored eyes toward the quiet Kagome. She appeared hesitant, unsure, and he could understand why considering his father often times did his damnedest to instill fear into the other people of the village. However, he was relieved when she finally bowed just slightly.

"Fugaku-sama," the Higurashi politely called. "Itachi-sama."

Sasuke stiffened a bit more, as his eyes slid beyond his father and found those of his indifferent brother. The elder Uchiha did not make a move, only raising his brow slightly as he blinked at the girl with them. He wanted to growl and hiss, and do anything steer Itachi's attention away from Kagome because, damn it, she was going to be his! And his brother had _no_  right to look at her, especially when there were so many other girls constantly fawning over him and begging for his attention.

He forced himself not to move, to stand in front of her, while his brother slid his eyes in his direction. He narrowed his own, relieved that his brother was no longer staring at Kagome, though his chest tightened underneath the stare. It did not matter that Higurashi Kagome barely acknowledged the presence of the Uchiha clan, and acted almost like they did not exist, because he knew that Itachi had  _always_  gotten everything that he, Sasuke, wanted. But, he would not get Kagome!

He would make sure of it.

"What are you doing, Sasuke?" Fugaku asked.

"Training," he stated evenly. The burn in his throat seemed to disappear all together the moment he laid eyes on his sibling, an angry part of him rising up and driving the remaining pain away. Thus, his voice came out in the even, arrogant tone that his father pounded into his head when he was young.

"Really now?" He shifted his eyes away from his son, silently taking in the appearance of the young girl next to him. Fugaku was a bit surprised. From Leiko's reaction, he had expected her to be a commoner's daughter that somehow managed to trick his son into letting her spend time with him. Not a girl that could easily pass as an Uchiha if she transformed her dark blue eyes just a shade darker. "And you are?"

"H-Higurashi Kagome."

A small smirk tilted on the Uchiha patriarch's lips, as the girl nervously shuffled her feet. Clearly she had thought he would overlook her. "Higurashi Kagome," he stated. "You are the kunoichi that currently holds the highest rank in ninjutsu, is that right?"

Kagome gulped. Was he going to start yelling at her? She knew for a fact that the Uchiha clan prided themselves on being the best, so the fact that she had surpassed Uchiha Leiko in ninjutsu class  _must_  have really yanked his chain for him to bring it up.

His eyes narrowed just slightly when she only shuffled her feet a little more.

"Y-yes, sir," she nodded. After she spoke, she almost sighed. If there was to be yelling, there would be yelling. Besides, if he wanted to yell so much, she would  _politely_  tell him to go yell at the person that dropped out of the top rank, since it was not her fault. She could not help it that she quickly picked up everything that her grandfather showed her and utilized it during ninjutsu training.

Darn it, though, she sounded a lot like Hinata in that moment. She was not even doing anything wrong—unless Naruto was right, and Sasuke had just asked her to help him in order to get her into trouble—so there was no reason to worry. Sure, he was an Uchiha, but he could not really do anything to her. It was against the laws set down by the Hokage himself, since there was a clear rank difference between them.

Fugaku discretely cast a glance toward his youngest son, having noticed the way his hand clenched. He wondered briefly why Sasuke was becoming so agitated, but decided that it did not matter at the moment. "And the reason for your sudden climb in rank?" he asked the kunoichi-in-training.

"Uh," Kagome swallowed again. The attention was  _not_  something she was used to or liked that much, but she quickly found her voice to answer once more. "My grandfather decided that it was time to teach my younger brother and I a few of the techniques he'd been saving until we were officially shinobi. He got so excited that my class is graduating, as you know, in a little over a month. So,  _um_ , I can now perform the Academy ninjutsu, two advanced water techniques, and three lightning ones."

Fugaku remained silent, casting his eyes down the small slip of a girl. That was no doubt the reason why she had surpassed Uchiha Leiko in chakra control, as well, though they were both still far behind the Hyuuga heiress. That little fact did not bother him, though, considering the Hyuuga clan's gentle first style demanded excellent chakra control.

Kagome blushed the longer he stared. What was he looking at? Was he trying to assess her? Trying to figure out how in the world someone like her, outside of a famous clan, could out rank one of his own flesh and blood? 'Cause she seriously doubted he was staring because—no, and she quickly shook the very thought away.

The idea that the Uchiha patriarch might be  _that_  kind of pervert was ridiculous.

"Your grandfather must be very proud," Fugaku stated at last. Lightning was a very tricky element. It must have taken her quite some time to master three advanced techniques of that nature. So, he would overlook the fact that she was standing on Uchiha property with his youngest son without permission or a good reason to be there—for now.

"He is," she muttered. Oh, yes,  _very_  proud. So much so, that after she succeeded in performing the third jutsu he raced off to tell his buddies about it. Wanting to brag and tell them how much better his granddaughter was, because she could perform lightning techniques while in the Academy. And maybe rattle off an old tale or two that they should all remember, but somehow could not recall some of the details he added.

"Sasuke—" the girl sighed as he finally turned his attention away from her, "—I hear that have you been having trouble in ninjutsu class and occasionally taijutsu."

His father made it a statement, but Sasuke knew he wanted an answer. He always wanted an answer. So, he said, "I might have."

Fugaku seemed to ignore the fact that his youngest son had spoken, as he nodded his head toward the boy's silent sibling. "Itachi has been kind enough to skip his ANBU duties for the day in order to  _help_  you." He sounded slightly amused, considering he knew there had to be some reason for Sasuke to suddenly screw up. And, if his suspicion was correct, it definitely had something to do with the girl standing next to him. "He will make sure that you do not damage the Uchiha name anymore than you already have."

He forced down a growl, shifting his onyx colored eyes to his silent brother. Damaging the Uchiha name? Oh, yes, Itachi was the  _perfect_  person to make sure he did not do  _that_.

"You, Higurashi, may leave," Fugaku finished.

"O-ok." Kagome's head screamed much differently than her voice sounded. He might be the almighty Uchiha patriarch, but where did he get off dismissing her like that? He was  _not_  her father! And he had no right—except for the fact that she was currently standing on his land—to tell her what to do!

Damn it. Sasuke clenched his hand a little tighter. His plan had been working perfectly until his father and brother decided to show up. And now Higurashi Kagome was planning on leaving, leaving  _him_  with the need to scramble for another idea. He would not be able to convince his father that he was only training with Higurashi Kagome twice. The elder Uchiha would easily realize that he had another agenda, and he did  _not_  want him to know what he had planned yet just.

"I, um—" Kagome mentally snorted. They were just other shinobi. "—I'll see you tomorrow, Sasuke."

"…Yeah," he mumbled. He watched her go, silently, while his mind processed the slight sway of Kagome's hips. It was not very noticeable, probably only developing because she was nearing puberty, but he bit the inside of his lip when his mind processed it as a seductive gesture. Then, he forcefully shifted his eyes back to the two men in front of him. And he had to still another growl in his chest at what he saw.

Itachi's eyes, Sharingan ablaze, were clearly following Kagome.

Itachi's red eyes shifted just a bit, while his brother's stare burned into him. He ignored the urge to lift his eyebrow, already having a very clear idea of why Sasuke was acting the way he was. His body language alone gave him away—the glances, stiffening, and staring. All of it added up in Itachi's mind quickly, but he wondered why  _that_  girl had been the one to attract his brother's attention.

Sasuke was determined to prove he, too, was a prodigy. He was determined to prove that he would not always stand in his shadow. Yet, suddenly a girl had snagged his interest. Pulled him away from the constant need to prove he could be better, despite the long path he would have to follow. Pushed him to the point that he threw aside his pride and determination just to spend a moment in her presence.

Yes, that definitely made her interesting.

"Itachi," Fugaku stated once the girl had left, "you know what to do."

Itachi nodded, seeing no reason to respond to their father.

The Uchiha patriarch gave a satisfied smirk, sure that  _both_  his sons would once again be on the right path soon enough, and turned to return to the Uchiha district. Itachi would make sure that Sasuke did not screw up again, especially with a technique that he had performing for years, no matter what reason he had to do so. No little girl would get in the way of that.

Sasuke, though, had very different plans.

"Are you going to go find that girl?" Itachi asked. He had noticed Sasuke's slight shift the moment their father was out of sight, and anticipated his leave. The boy had once clung to him like a second skin, but nowadays he could not seem to stand being in his very presence. And it made sense that he would seek out the girl he was trying to win the affections of.

"That's none of your business," Sasuke growled back.

"I have to wonder what has you so interested, little brother," Itachi continued. "That girl does not seem to even notice your affection."

" _Shut up_ ," he snarled.

Itachi blinked, not in the least affected by Sasuke's hostility. "Though, that is not all that surprising. This plan you've come up with is weak. What girl would notice a boy that needs her help with a simple technique?"

"I can perform the fire technique just fine!" Sasuke shouted, losing his cool. He  _refused_  to look weak in the eyes of the  _great_  Uchiha prodigy.

"Really now? That is not—"

Sasuke had already shifted through the seals, and turned on his heel until he was facing the Nakano River. The fire released itself in the form of a giant fireball, hurtling across the water and dwindling out when it hit the opposite bank. Then, he cast a glance at his elder brother.

"You are so defensive," Itachi stated.

"Whatever," Sasuke said. "I'm leaving."

"Sasuke—" his voice stopped his brother from walking for a second, "—what is it about that girl that has you so enamored?"

The younger Uchiha stiffened again.

"Why have you suddenly decided to toss aside your  _ambition_  in order to seek her affections?" Itachi asked his question out of curiosity, nothing more. The girl did not interest him beyond that point. She was not even a genin yet, so there was no reason  _to_  be interested in her, other than the fact that she had snagged his brother's attention so completely.

"I don't have to answer that," Sasuke hissed, before walking away.

Itachi's Sharingan filled eyes watched his brother go, his curiosity rising a bit more with each step that the boy took. He suspected that Sasuke did not wish to tell him anything about the girl because of his  _need_  to have her affection—most likely thinking he would attempt to take it from him, no matter how ridiculous the thought was. Yet, he still could not figure out why such an average looking kunoichi—even if she did almost have the Uchiha appearance—would win his brother's heart.

Perhaps the girl herself could give him his answers?

* * *

Kagome left the Uchiha district without any problems, sighing a bit when she finally allowed herself a chance to relax. She had been positive she was going to get into  _so_  much trouble—though Sasuke had said they should be fine, considering he  _was_  an Uchiha—but she really glad she had not. Her mother would have yelled and yelled and yelled and  _yelled_  if she had found out, since it had been just last week when Naruto got her to—

"Kagome?"

"Eh?" Kagome blinked, turning on her heel. Noticing the lavender-eyed boy standing behind her, she smiled a bit. He might have freaked her out a little the year before, but she was still friendly whenever she saw him. "Oh, Neji! I thought you were on a mission this week?"

The Hyuuga ignored her question, asking, "Why were you in the Uchiha district?"

"Oh," Kagome cast a glance at the district behind her, "I was helping Uchiha Sasuke with a little problem he was having this week."

"Is that so?" Neji asked.

She nodded, deciding it was best not to go into detail. The Hyuuga clan thought they were the best, but telling any of them that the son of the Uchiha patriarch was screwing up in ninjutsu class could not end well. For her, that was. And personally she did not want to sit through an entire episode of 'put the other clan down', since she heard enough of it on the street and basically anywhere that a Hyuuga and Uchiha managed to cross paths. The rivalry was really getting old.

"Here," he nodded his head toward the west, "I'll walk you home."

"Oh," she blushed a little. "You really don't have to!"

"I insist," he replied. Oh, if only Higurashi Kagome could realize how much he was willing to throw aside for her. How many Hyuuga laws he was willing to ignore.

"W-well, if you really want, I don't—" she paused as they walked. "Hey, what were you doing outside the Uchiha district?"

"Gai-sensei wished to congratulate us on our successful mission with a training session," Neji replied. "It, unfortunately, was scheduled to be near the Uchiha district."

"And when was that?" she asked. She was only a little suspicious. He did  _not_  look like he had come from a training session, though she could be wrong. She had only seen him covered in sweat once, but that had been from over doing it. So, there was a very likely chance that he  _had_  come from a training session.

"In about twenty minutes."

…Or not. Kagome blinked, looking back in the direction they had come from. She quickly protested afterward, "If you have a training session in twenty minutes, you should be going there, not walking me home."

Neji stopped just before the market, staring at her. Then, he said, "Gai-sensei will understand." He did not bother to add that the insane jounin would also spout off about how youthful he was to walk such a pretty girl home. Nor did he mention that the man would encourage him to spend more time with her. After all, he was  _very_  aware of how she had taken to his—

"Kagome!"

Kagome forgot about the discussion, instantly turning her attention to the boy rushing toward them. A victorious smile crossed her face, as she grabbed onto the blonde the moment he came into range. "You owe me one thousand yen, Naruto!" she laughed wickedly.

"W-what?" Naruto gasped.

"One thousand yen?" Neji asked, curious.

"Yup!" Kagome grinned. "Naruto said that I wouldn't come back from my training session with Sasuke in one piece, but as you can see, I am  _perfectly_  fine! So, fork over the money, Naruto!"

"B- _but_ —!"

Kagome ignored them both, taking advantage of Naruto's useless arm and digging in his pockets.

"Hey!" Naruto yelled, jumping a bit. "Get out of there!"

Neji's eyes narrowed on the blonde.

Kagome let out a yell of victory when she pulled forth a frog shaped pouch. She held it just out of Naruto's reach, popping out the mouth and looking inside for her sweet victory money. However, her grin slipped a bit when she noticed the small piece of lint sitting in the bottom.

"Kagome?" Naruto gulped.

Growling, the girl turned her burning eyes onto him. "You don't even  _have_  the money?"

"You weren't supposed to win!" he yelled back in defense.

"I'll  _kill_  you!" she shrieked. She went for his throat almost instantly, determined to beat him within an inch of his life or until he agreed to get her, her money within the day!

"Ouch!" Naruto hissed. " _Watch the arm, will ya?_ "

The fact that he was already injured processed in her mind, and she stepped back from him just a little bit. Crossing her arms, she huffed, stating, "Just you  _wait_ , Naruto. I will get my money. I  _will_. And once that damn arm is out of my way, nothing will save you!"

"What exactly happened to your arm?" Neji asked.

"Eh, that stupid, idiot, bastard Sasuke burned it," Naruto huffed. "And then Kagome agreed to  _help_  him because he told her he didn't  _mean_  to do it!"

Odd. Neji's eyes narrowed a little more, wondering what the Uchiha's game was. The only reason he would have apologized for such an action—considering Neji knew for a fact he did not like Naruto  _at all_ —was if he had an ulterior motive. And considering Kagome was the one he wished help from, she had to be the center of it. But why?

"Neji! My youthful rival, there you are!"

Neji stiffened only a bit, his attention turning toward the green clad boy now standing nearby. "Lee," he stated.

"Gai-sensei sent me to retrieve you!" Lee exclaimed. "But, I am glad to see you are spreading your youth to these young shinobi-in-training! They will surely soar through the ranks now that you have—"

"What's with that bushy-browed guy?" Naruto blinked. He vaguely remembered him from a few times that Neji was trying to put the charm on, but his name slipped from his mind with ease.

"You better go, Neji." Kagome's voice still had a slight edge from Naruto's basic betrayal, but she somehow sounded concerned. "You might get into trouble with your jounin-instructor if you don't."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed. He grinned a bit, "I'll make sure that Kagome—"

"I'll make  _sure_  that Naruto comes with me," Kagome huffed. "Because I'm  _going_  to get that money."

Naruto shivered.

Neji merely nodded, and began to walk in the direction that they had come from.

"Eh?" Lee blinked. "Neji, my rival, wait for me!"

"Man, that guy is  _weird_ ," Naruto muttered.

"Come on, we're going to my house and you're going to work off that debt!" Kagome growled, grabbing onto his burned arm.

"Ow, ow! Hey,  _watch the arm!_ "


	7. Curiosity Killed the Cat

"Work,  _slave_!"

Naruto whimpered, as his friend-turned-warden marched back and forth behind him, occasionally stopping to poke him with her sandal. He could not believe she was making him do this ridiculous job! What kind of friend was she?!

"Faster!" she yelled. "You will earn me that thousand yen before the day is out, or  _else_!"

Tears pricked the corner of Naruto's eyes, as he shifted his bandaged arm. It hurt a lot worse than it had earlier, and he was certain it was from Kagome's  _accidental_  probing whenever she felt he was not working hard enough. But, damn it, it was  _stupid_  for him to be doing such work! He only had one arm to work with!

" _I don't see you pulling any weeds!_ " she hissed dangerously.

Her tapping foot came into his line of sight, and Naruto's began pulling the stupid plants again. There was  _no_  way he was going to purposely give her a reason to kick his useless arm a bit! It hurt too damn much! Though, he supposed it was  _just_  as bad as the dirt and grime that was getting underneath his fingernails and all over his hand. And those damn prickly things! What the hell were those?!

Huffing, Kagome began to march once more. Her sharp, dark blue eyes bore into her friend's back, as she stated, "This garden will be weed-free by the time you are done! Do you understand, slave? Weed- _free_! It will be spotless, my mother will praise me for having done such a fine job, and  _then_  your debt will be paid! But, if you slack off, don't be surprised if you're sitting there through the night!"

Naruto whimpered. Through the night?!? What about sleep?

" _HEY!_ " she shouted. "Don't pick that, you idiot! That's an herb, not a weed!"

"What's the difference?" Naruto cried.

"Look at it!" she snapped, kneeling down next to him. "It has six leaves! And it clearly looks different than the weeds you are  _supposed_  to be pulling!"

Turning his tear filled eyes toward her, Naruto allowed his bottom lip to tremble. He said, "I don't have those damn sharp eyes of yours, Kagome! I  _can't_  see the damn difference, ok!?!"

Her face turned dark and thunderous, while her eyes darkened into a black abyss. Her voice low, she hissed, "Maybe you should have thought about that  _before_  you made that deal with me. Now, get back to work or I'll make you do something even more  _fun_."

Feeling like he was falling into her endless, danger filled eyes, Naruto turned back to the small garden. He wanted to cry, as he quickly found another weed and pulled it free from the soil. However, only a small whine escaped his throat, while he tried desperately to distinguish the weeds from the herbs. It was just so hard—his eyes were clouded, and those damn prickly things kept biting at his hands!

Seriously, what the  _hell_  were those things?!?

"Trust me when I say this, slave," she growled, "I could find something much more entertaining for you to do. Like, hanging upside down while you try to do the dishes with that single arm! I'd  _really_  like to see that, but you'd probably just end up breaking all the plates!"

Upside down? Upside down!?! Dishes?!? Naruto nearly panicked at the thought, as he returned to his search for the little, unwanted plants hiding within the strangely weed-infested garden. He swore underneath his breath as the prickly things bit into his hands a little more, because he was certain now that Kagome had allowed the garden to be overrun with the stupid little things  _just_  for when she could get him to do the work.

Grinning cruelly, Kagome chuckled, "That's what I thought."

Naruto finally allowed himself a moment to cry. Kagome had  _definitely_  allowed the garden to be overrun with weeds. She had to have known! She had to! There was no other explanation for it, since he knew for a fact  _she_  was supposed to keep the garden weed-free! It was her job! So, she had to have known that he would do something stupid and planned to have him do it for her!

It just was  _not_  fair!

"Hey, Kagome-nee-chan, is he  _crying_?"

Naruto blinked away his tears, turning his head just enough to see the young Higurashi Souta latched onto his elder sister's side like a leech. Damn it! Now the boy would see him as weak! How was he ever supposed to become Hokage now?! However, he was quick to defend his pride, saying, "I'm not—!"

"Don't worry about him, Souta," Kagome smiled, patting her brother's head. "He'll be fine."

The young shinobi-in-training grinned happily at his sister's affection, allowing her a small moment to ruffle his hair before he batted her hands away. He completely ignored Naruto in favor of her, saying, "Grandpa's going to teach me another awesome water technique! Are you going to come with?"

Placing her hand onto his shoulder, she shook her head, "Not today, Souta."

His face fell. He had hoped that his sister would come with him, since she always knew just what to say when he could not perform the technique the first few times. She always made him feel better and managed to show him how to channel his chakra. But, without her there, the training field felt rather empty. "But—"

"You see," she grinned down at him, "I've got to make sure this maggot here—" she poked Naruto with her sandal, "—does not try to sneak away. He's got a debt to pay and he's going to pay it! Isn't that  _right_ , Naruto?"

Sensing the evil monster just waiting to pounce on him and make his life absolutely miserable, Naruto quickly nodded in agreement. And he returned to plucking the weeds from their current resting place, ignoring the damn prickly things and the dirt that he smeared across his cheek when he scratched an itch on his face. He felt  _so_  humiliated!

"Oh, ok!" Souta's face brightened a bit. His sister was so smart and powerful! She had to be to have the prankster, Uzumaki Naruto, wrapped around her finger and doing all of her chores for her. "You're  _so_  cool, Kagome-nee-chan!"

" _Thank you_ ," she smiled.

Naruto snorted, not believing a word of it. Evil, evil, evil! That was what she was! Not cool! Not awesome! Not amazing! Just evil, evil, evil! Making him do all the work she was supposed to do! How did she ever manage to sleep at night?!?

"You're not half-bad yourself, squirt," she said, continuing to grin.

The young shinobi-in-training merely laughed a little when she once again ruffled his hair around. He did not seem to realize that she  _might_  have insulted him just a little bit. He only registered that his older sister was praising him, and he latched onto the praise and wanted more of it. As much as he could possibly get, because he was a greedy little boy that loved his sister more than anything else in the world.

The blonde shinobi-in-training grumbled to himself, knowing that the boy would be no help. He would just swallow up the affection—as fake as it was—Kagome gave him and praise her skills, beauty, and devious mind in return. He would not try to help him out of the ridiculous job that Kagome thrust upon him, believing that the only way to get him to pay her, her money was by force.

"Souta," another voice called, "your grandfather is waiting."

"Higurashi-san!" Naruto practically screamed, turning his bright blue eyes upon the woman. She would be his salvation, he was sure of it! The woman would knock down Kagome's tyranny and set him free!

"Hello, Naruto," Higurashi-san smiled.

Naruto froze, as the older woman turned away from him. What was she doing? Did she not see him kneeling in the dirt, pulling the weeds that her daughter was supposed to be pulling? Did she  _not_  understand the dictatorship that had suddenly risen upon her small piece of land?!? Had Kagome brainwashed her, as well?!

Kagome prodded him with her foot once more in the back, growling, "Get back to work,  _slave_!"

"Now, now," Higurashi-san sighed, "play nice, Kagome."

"Yes, mother!" Kagome smiled.

Naruto whimpered again. He was doomed!  _Doomed!_

"Souta," Higurashi-san said again, "you don't want to keep your grandfather waiting too long, do you? He might decide that you don't want to learn that water technique and leave for the day."

"I'm coming!" Souta hollered, positive his grandfather had heard him from inside.

Higurashi-san balanced the tray on her hip, smiling as her youngest child raced to reach the house before her father decided to ignore the boy. Of course, she knew the old shinobi would most likely tease him until he begged, but it was good to see her family so happy and carefree. And the smile did not leave her face, even when she glanced up and noticed the newcomer walking up the pathway. "Oh, Uchiha-san, what brings you here?"

Souta stopped mid-leap toward the door, twisting on his foot the moment he heard the clan name. His eyes brightened the moment he saw the other shinobi, and he raced back to his sister's side, forgetting all about his grandfather's training session. "You're Uchiha Itachi!" he shouted. "You're  _so_  cool!"

Kagome's eyebrow twitched, before she lightly whacked the younger shinobi-in-training upside the head.

"Kagome!" Higurashi-san scowled.

"Ow!" Souta cried. "What was  _that_  for?!"

"I'm the  _only_  cool one around here!" Kagome declared. "You got that, you little brat!"

"Mama, Kagome's being mean!" Souta sniffled.

"I can't believe you!" Kagome continued, beginning to march back and forth once again. "You go on and on about how  _cool_  I am, yet as soon as  _Uchiha Itachi_  steps into your presence, you jump ship! What kind of brother are you?"

"I should blast you with a water jutsu!" Souta growled.

"Try it," Kagome growled back. She knew she was being childish, but she could not help it. "I'll zap you until you can't stand anymore!"

"That's enough!" Higurashi-san snapped, watching as both her children deflated. "You will  _not_  use the techniques you've learned against one another or another shinobi of this village! Do you understand me?"

"Yes, mama," they grumbled quietly.

Naruto leaned back on his heels, snickering lightly at the sight that the two siblings made. They refused to look at one another, believing the other had started the problem and wanted nothing to do with them. However, his light snickering ceased when Kagome's burning blue eyes snapped in his direction.

"What do you think you're doing,  _Naruto_?" she hissed. " _Get back to work!_ "

A squeak left Naruto's mouth, as he returned to the task Kagome had given him. Pull the weeds. Pull the weeds. Pull the weeds. Just pull them and not look at her, because she would probably set him on fire with that dark, evil look in her eyes.

"Would you like something to drink, Uchiha-san?" Higurashi-san asked. She was positive her children would not act up once again, though she kept a firm eye on them just in case.

"No, thank you," Itachi replied evenly. "I will be leaving shortly."

"I see," Higurashi-san bowed her head. "Come along, Souta, your grandfather is waiting."

"B-but," Souta whined, "that's Uchiha Itachi!"

"Yes, I am aware," Higurashi-san chuckled. The boy was very excited to have his idol standing on their family's land, but now was not the time. "But, I'm sure you do not wish to disappoint your grandfather, do you?"

Allowing his mother to take his hand, Souta shook his head. No, he did not wish to disappoint his grandfather, because that meant he would be disappointing his mother and his sister, as well. And he never wished to do that, because it meant he might not one day achieve his dream to be the greatest ANBU the village had ever seen.

"Higurashi Kagome," Itachi stated once they were inside.

"That'd be me," Kagome sighed. Did she not  _just_  leave Sasuke with this guy earlier? What was he doing at her home? Especially when he probably had much better things to do, like ANBU  _stuff_.

Sneaking a peek at the two, Naruto narrowed his eyes. That feeling in his gut returned full force and he had to wonder if the meeting had anything to do with that bastard, Sasuke. And if it did, maybe he would finally figure out what was going on.

Uchiha Itachi blinked emotionlessly.

She shuffled her feet about, trying her hardest  _not_  to begin marching back and forth again. She was  _just_  a bit nervous underneath his blood red stare. Well, a lot more nervous than she had been underneath Uchiha Fugaku's stare, and she  _hoped_  beyond hope that he would  _stop_  looking at her for just one second! "Um, was there something you, uh, wanted?"

"Why did Sasuke choose  _you_  to help him today?" Itachi asked.

Blushing, Kagome nearly choked. "H-how am  _I_  supposed to know?!?"

The wheels in Naruto's head began to turn. That was a  _really_  good question. He had not thought about looking at the situation from Sasuke's point of view. All he had cared about at the time was that Kagome had agreed to help the arrogant Uchiha, but now the question was  _very_  intriguing. What reason did anyone have to ask Kagome to help them, besides the fact that she had really good chakra control and could perform a few advanced techniques?

"He could have asked anyone within the Uchiha clan—anyone with more experience with the fire technique—yet he chose you. Why?" Itachi pressed. "What is so special about you, Higurashi?"

"I-I don't know!" Kagome replied. Why was he asking  _her_  these questions? Why not the person that decided to  _choose_  her?!?

"You appear to be an average kunoichi, despite your ability with ninjutsu," he continued. "Why would you be chosen by an Uchiha? What can you possibly do that an Uchiha cannot?"

Kagome did not speak, her back straightening. Was he  _interrogating_  her? On what grounds did he have to talk to her like that? Seriously, she did  _not_  care if he was some high-ranked Uchiha prodigy! He had  _no_  right to come onto the Higurashi family property and start firing questions at her!

"What makes you so special that Sasuke—?"

"Alright," Kagome growled, "look here,  _buddy_ —"

Naruto shivered at the tone of Kagome's voice, though he was very glad that she was  _not_  directing her temper at him. But, his mind continued to process through the questions that Itachi had issued, his brain working overdrive as it tried to grasp onto the answer. He knew the answer. He was positive that he did. It was just lodged somewhere in the back of his head and he could not seem to grasp a hold of it no matter how hard he tried.

Itachi merely raised an eyebrow, inwardly surprised with the Higurashi's display of temper. From the way she had acted around his father, he had been positive that she was very docile and easily pushed around. So, mentally, he checked off one of the reasons Sasuke  _might_  be attracted to the girl, since he doubted his brother wanted some weak kunoichi that would obey his every command.

"—I don't  _care_  who you think you are," she continued, "but if you're so  _interested_  in answers, you can go find your brother and get them from him! I'm not going to stand here all day while you interrogate me and just  _take it_. So, why don't you just go do…  _whatever_  you're supposed to be doing!"

Odd girl. However, Itachi found her little speech highly amusing. It was clear that she did not fear the Uchiha clan—yet another reason why Sasuke might have formed such an attraction for her. She did not even fear him, which either proved that she was  _very_  brave or  _very_  stupid. And the look that she was giving him was pushing him to believe she  _might_ actually be  _that_  brave.

Snapping her eyes to her friend, she frowned. "How many  _times_  must I tell you to get back to work, Uzumaki Naruto!?! You will earn me that thousand yen, do you understand!"

"Ouch!" Naruto hissed, when she probed his arm again. "Knock it off! I'm working, I'm working!"

Blinking, Itachi allowed his Sharingan to deactivate. The girl was stranger than he originally believed, and he wondered why his brother would wish for her affection so much. He could have any girl he wanted—the presence of his fan club proved that much—yet he wanted this girl, the one that appeared completely oblivious to the fact that he even liked her. "Higurashi," he finally asked, "what do you think of the Uchiha clan?"

Naruto blinked, remembering the day that Sasuke went on and on about the Uchiha clan. He had thought he was just being an arrogant bastard that day—more than usual, at least—but hearing the words from Uchiha Itachi's mouth gave the day a new meaning. A whole new meaning. And Naruto's stomach was suddenly in knots, while his mind tried to come up with the answer he knew he knew.

"Huh?" Kagome blinked. "What do you think? It's a clan. What more is there to say, besides the fact that it's powerful?"

Contemplating the words for a second, Itachi nodded and then walked away. He saw now why Sasuke wanted that girl. She was unlike any of the kunoichi that followed him. She had potential, cared little about the fact that they came from a powerful clan, and contained quite a bit of beauty for one so young. Sasuke, he was sure, had a hard time just ignoring her.

"That was  _weird_ ," Kagome muttered.

Naruto did not hear her, though, as he suddenly stopped working altogether. His mouth fell open, as he remembered another situation that involved Hyuuga Neji just over a year ago. When the boy asked Kagome, quite bluntly, what she thought of the Hyuuga clan. And Kagome remained completely oblivious, despite how many times the older shinobi tried to make her see that he wanted to hold her heart in his hands.

Holy  _shit_!?!

"Hey!" Kagome growled. " _Get back to work!_ "

An extremely sly grin spread across Naruto's face when the realization hit him in the face.

" _Nar-u-to_."

" _Ouch!_ " Naruto cried, when Kagome's sandal pressed into his arm. But, he was not deterred from his new goal. He would finish the damn work Kagome wanted him to do—he  _did_  owe her that money, after all—and then he would search out the Uchiha. He would toy with him a little bit, make sure he was not mistaken, and then debate whether or not the boy was worthy of even  _having_  such feelings.

The realization was just so  _big_ , though!

Who would have guessed that Uchiha Sasuke was in  _love_?!


	8. Boys Will Be Boys

Sasuke drew one foot up onto the rooftop with him, bending his knee just enough that he could drape his arm over the appendage. His onyx colored eyes watched the street below him, occasionally catching sight of a restless fan girl searching wildly for him, but his mind was elsewhere. His hand clenched just thinking about it, while his mouth twisted into a small scowl.

Damn them.

He had been so close.  _So_  close. It would not have taken him long to snatch up Higurashi Kagome's heart and hold it close to his own, delighting in the knowledge that he had managed to obtain that which seemed unobtainable. It would not have taken him long at all, he was sure of it—the flare of heat when their hands met told him that much—if his father and damn brother had not decided to show up on the scene.

Now, he was thrust back to the drawing board, because his sinister brother and father just  _had_  to grip onto his pervious plan and rip it to shreds before his very eyes. He was forced to come up with another plan, even when his last had been so perfect, and he was at a loss on how to proceed. Higurashi Kagome would no doubt be cautious of trying to train with him again, especially near the Nakano River, and he could not think of anything spectacular that would please her and cause her to hand her heart over to him.

Now that he thought about it, he supposed he could blame Uchiha Leiko, as well. She was the only other Uchiha in his Academy class, and had, no doubt, told his father of his _troubles_  in ninjutsu class. She had stuck her nose where it did not belong—a good reason for him to cut it off—and ruined his entire plan. After all, his father would have never known about his  _training_  session until after he had brought Kagome home with him, declaring to the household that she was the one he planned to spend his entire life with.

Damn her. Damn them all.

Sighing, Sasuke shifted his attention to the clouds drifting overhead. They helped him think—though, he had only gotten into the habit after seeing Kagome glance upward more times than not—and at the moment he hoped they would help him come up with some other way to quickly get what he wanted. Or at least quick enough that some other shinobi would not have the chance to make Kagome love them.

He needed a new plan, desperately, but what could possibly capture Higurashi Kagome's attention when all previous plans had failed? What could possibly be so stunning that she would hand her heart over like it was on a silver platter? What could he possibly do, when she remained oblivious to power and wealth and charm and attention all together?

Especially now, when the rest of the Uchiha clan was working against him?

Shifting himself again, he leaned himself into his bent leg, and managed to place his chin onto his propped arm. His frustration was rising quickly, while his brain processed through anything and everything that might help him, but none of the possibilities seemed  _good_  enough. None of them were completely and utterly full proof—and considering his current track record, that was what he needed and wanted—which meant they were not good enough. They would never be good enough, so his brain moved onto the next possibility.

Why did the foolish Higurashi girl have to be so attractive and different? Why did she, the most oblivious girl he had ever come across, have to be so mentally strong and willing to strive forward in order to be better? Why did she have to be everything that he had ever wanted in a wife, when it was clear that she might never see how much he needed her?

No. She would see. She would see  _quite_  clearly, as soon as he managed to find the perfect strategy. He was just looking at the situation wrong, that was all. He needed to approach her differently, strike her where she least expected it, and then she would be his for the taking.

But, the problem still remained: where was that striking point? What amazing thing could he do, either for her or around her, that she would finally open those deep, beautiful blue eyes and see that he wanted to give her the world?  _What_  was there that he could do?

Sasuke did not know, and at the moment it felt like he would never know. His family had effectively destroyed his perfect moment—the first time that he had been alone with the Higurashi girl away from the Academy—and would no doubt try to ruin every other moment in the future. There was, truly, nowhere that he could hide from the Uchiha clan. So,  _how_ would he be able to hide the knowledge—actually, it really should not be all that hard, considering he  _had_  been hiding the fact that he liked Higurashi Kagome for so long already.

Huffing into the cooling air, Sasuke realized that he should be able to come up with an answer fairly easily. He had watched the girl more than once—almost to the verge of stalking, though he would  _never_  say that he, Uchiha Sasuke, had stalked a girl—and knew most of her habits. But, then again, those habits were mostly  _in_  the Academy. They were things that could not help him, though piecing them together could give him the big picture on what he should do to capture her attention completely.

Really, though, how hard—?

Skin brushed against his ear, causing the Uchiha boy to stiffen. He had not sensed the other person, and he cursed, because he should not have gotten so caught up in his thinking that—

"Hello, Sasuke- _kun_."

 _Oh_.

The voice breathlessly continued, "What are you doing up here?"

 _Ohhhh_.

Glancing from the corner of his onyx colored eye, Uchiha Sasuke caught sight of Higurashi Kagome plopping down onto the ledge of the building next to him. She smiled just for him, reaching up to twirl a strand of hair between her fingers, and he gulped at the innocent action. Oh, how could she not realize how drawn his eyes were to that action, despite how much he knew she meant nothing seductive by it? How could she not realize how much he wanted to just look at her, kiss her, and someday touch her the way a husband touches a wife?  _How_?

"Are you alright?" she asked, frowning lightly.

Sasuke forced down the urge to blush when her hand brushed along his forehead, searching for a fever, while he choked on his tongue. Oh, he had known Kagome was smart—much more than the other kunoichi in their Academy class—but why had she sought him out? Why had she taken it upon herself to come up onto a rooftop just to ask him what  _he_  was doing? Especially when the true question should be what  _she_  was doing?

"You're a little warm," she muttered, "are you sure you shouldn't be at home, in bed?"

Bed?  _Oh_ , he would like to be in bed. Just, he would like a few other things to be in that bed with him, even if he could not completely claim what would one day belong to him at the moment. Mainly her. Only her, because no other kunoichi would  _ever_  manage to snag his attention the way she had.

Suddenly, she huffed, "Are you going to answer me?"

"I—" damn his tongue, "I'm fine."

"Well, if you say so," she smiled back.

Watching her, Sasuke was once again bombarded with why the kunoichi-in-training had sought him out. She did not look like she had any true reason to have come to him—and considering how oblivious she was, that was  _not_  surprising—and only turned her head toward the suddenly blood red sky. Her smile was bright, so lovely, and the rapidly changing sky only enhanced the internal beauty that she radiated.

His mind easily slipped away from the simple question, as Kagome turned toward him once more. He forced himself to look away, knowing that the bright smile on her smile just  _might_ cause his tongue to travel down his throat once more.

"It's odd, though," she giggled. "I spoke with Neji- _kun_  earlier and he looked like he could use some rest, too. Though, I suppose that's because he just came back from a mission."

Damn that Hyuuga. Sasuke's eyes narrowed just thinking about the Hyuuga genin that was seeking after Kagome's heart. The fact that he was already making a name for himself in the shinobi world could pose a problem for him, especially with the continuously breathless voice that Kagome had spoken in. The very fact caused a part of him to growl deeply in anger, since it could not be good for him if Higurashi Kagome, most oblivious girl he had ever known, suddenly decided to  _notice_  the attention the Hyuuga constantly gave her.

Though, then again, she  _was_  too nice for her own good.

"I wonder if there's something going around," she sighed. Then, after a pause, she continued, "I sure hope not. Souta will catch it and then that little brat will give it to me. And I _really_  do not need to get sick with the graduation test so close."

Sasuke nodded, the growling beast inside of him making him notice something a little odd himself. He had never known Kagome to speak like she was. She always spoke before she thought, never allowing herself a moment to think about it, yet she seemed to be contemplating every word that came out of her mouth at the moment. And Sasuke, after the realization, wanted to know why.

"Oh!" Kagome's face brightened. "Neji- _kun_  said the sweetest thing to me when I saw him earlier!"

Onyx eyes narrowing, Sasuke's suspicion rose another notch. The Higurashi Kagome he knew always,  _always_ , blushed and tried to skirt around a compliment, believing that there was someone more deserving. She  _never_  brought it back up again and only spoke about it if someone else did. So, why in the world would she  _want_  to tell him about what Hyuuga Neji said about her?

Blushing, the girl raised a hand to touch her face lightly, while she said, "He told me that I have eyes like the midnight sky—so beautiful that he could sink into them and never wish to escape. It was  _so_  romantic. I've never known him to say such poetic things."

Staring at her from the corner of his eye, Sasuke was not quite sure if what he was seeing was real or not. He doubted that Kagome would flaunt the fact that he wanted her, needed her, and planned to marry her no matter how many  _poetic_  words he spouted in her direction. She might call him sweet and hit him in the arm, but she would not purposely seek out anyone else just to talk about it and throw the fact around. So, if she would not do it when he, Uchiha Sasuke, held her heart, why would she do it when a mere Hyuuga told her some pretty words meant only to seduce her?

"That was why I came up here when I noticed you," she muttered softly, catching his attention completely. "I wanted to know, what do  _you_  think of my eyes, Sasuke- _kun_?"

W-what?! Uchiha Sasuke, for the first time in his life, froze completely as Higurashi Kagome's hand lightly touched his arm.

She leaned into him, brushing her lips along his ear again. She said, "Are they like Neji- _kun_  said? Like the midnight sky? So beautiful that you could sink into them and never wish to leave?" Pausing, she then said, "Tell me, please. Please, Sasuke- _kun_!"

His suspicion and anger disappeared in seconds, as Sasuke realized this could be his moment. Why did it matter that she was acting a little odd? Maybe she did have a cold? Who knew, as long as he was the one that one day held her love in the palm of his hand! Who cared, as long as he was the one that one day got to touch her daily, create passion between them, and show her how much he needed her!

" _Please!_ "

Whipping his head in her direction, Sasuke allowed himself a single moment to gaze into those beautiful, dark blue eyes that he so admired. And he paused in that instant. Wait a minute!?! Those were  _not_  Higurashi Kagome's dark blue eyes that he  _did_  indeed want to swim in with the knowledge that only he would ever be able to do so! Those—those— _oh_ , his hand clenched just thinking about it, while a smirk slowly formed on his face.

The Higurashi Kagome-impersonator tilted 'her' head cutely, asking, "Is something the matter, Sasuke- _kun_?"

"You—" Sasuke growled. He would  _not_  be fooled like this and allow the other person to get away with it. Especially when the other person was  _him_! "You—"

The 'girl' backed away, bringing her hand up to her mouth. She asked quietly, "Sasuke- _kun_?"

Swinging his hand back suddenly, Sasuke easily shifted and flung his body weight forward as he punched the 'girl' in the face. Then he watched in satisfaction as the 'girl' flew away from him, hitting the rooftop hard, and rolling straight into the ledge not far away. Though, his onyx colored eyes turned ice cold as the sound of the transformation ceasing echoed in his ears and the 'girl's true form came into view.

"Ow! Sasuke- _kun_ , why did you hit me?"

Scoffing at the sight of the tears, Sasuke snarled, "You can cut the crap now,  _dobe_."

Naruto stiffened at the word, taking a quick glance down to find that he had indeed transformed back into himself. However, knowing that he would need to make a quick escape, he yelled in a girly voice, "I don't know what you're talking about, Sasuke- _kun_! I'm—"

" _Shut up_ ," Sasuke hissed darkly.

Frowning, Naruto scowled, saying, "You're no fun."

" _Fun?_ " Sasuke  _so_  wanted to burn Uzumaki Naruto to a crisp. "Fun?! You think transforming into Higurashi Kagome and parading around the village, doing who knows  _what_ , is fun?!?"

"Uh,  _yeah_ ," Naruto grinned. "Especially when the widdle Uchiha wuves her!"

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched in irritation, as his brain slowly registered what Naruto had said.  _Shit_. The idiot  _knew_! How did the  _idiot_  know? When had he figured it out and who the hell had told him? Because whoever they were, they were on Sasuke's list of people to torture. However, he spoke quickly to save himself, hoping the blonde was stupid enough to believe him. "Where'd you get that  _ridiculous_  thought from? Huh? Tell me, so I can kill them and then you!"

Grinning slyly, Naruto muttered, "You might want to tell your brother not to go around stalking the person you want to be your girlfriend."

Itachi? Itachi had been  _stalking_  Higurashi Kagome?!? No, no, no!

"But, honestly," Naruto chuckled, "it was rather obvious  _after_  I thought about it. I mean, you  _can't_  possibly think of hiding something  _this big_  from the master of diversion!" Naruto made sure to point at himself, just to jab the point further into the Uchiha's mind. There was no way he was going to trick him into thinking he was  _wrong_.

"You're  _fucking_  stupid," Sasuke finally growled. Oh, he could only  _hope_  that Naruto did not decide to work against him, since Kagome often times went along with the boy like a puppy dog. "I'm leaving."

The Uchiha only halted when the blonde somehow managed to snag onto his sleeve. Though, he shrugged the hand away as the blonde spoke. "Hey, this isn't funny and you're not going to just walk away from me. I want to know:  _what_   _do you think of Kagome's eyes?_ "

"Why would you want to know something so—?"

" _Don't_ ," Naruto growled. "Just answer the question truthfully and I'll decide your fate."

" _Fate?_ " Sasuke laughed humorlessly.

Scowling, Naruto snapped, "Just answer the question!"

Sasuke remained silent.

"What's the matter?" Naruto growled. "You'd tell Kagome what you think of her eyes, but you won't tell  _me_? The person that could screw up your little plan to try and win Kagome's heart. 'Cause it wouldn't be that hard for me to steer her attention in Neji's directi—"

"They're beautiful, alright," Sasuke finally snapped. "There's nothing else to say about them."

Naruto finally paused, staring the Uchiha down, before he dropped his sleeve. "Hm," he muttered, shifting his head to see the boy from another angle.

Sasuke glared back.

A long moment went by between the two shinobi-in-training, before Naruto nodded, stating, "Alright, I believe you."

Sasuke blinked, wondering what the blonde's game was.

"And," Naruto patted the Uchiha's shoulder, "I was just kidding about steering Kagome's attention in Neji's direction. He's strong and dashing and husband material, but he's… um, a little too blunt for Kagome. You should have seen all those—" he paused briefly, "—well, anyway, he's definitely not Kagome's type. So, there'd be no reason for me to destroy my friend's life like that."

"Are you going somewhere with this?" Sasuke asked.

"I like your approach!" Naruto stated, nodding. "You're actually trying to find something that will make Kagome happy in order to win her heart—"

Sasuke could not find a reason to correct him.

"—or at least something that will catch her attention," Naruto continued. "All the other guys out there are just throwing themselves at her, not realizing that Kagome needs someone that will cater to her needs and find out what's wrong when she needs them to! It's horrible! Simply horrible!"

Sasuke could only blink, as Naruto jumped up onto the ledge and turned to point at him. He stiffened just slightly, though he was quite confident in his ability to evade and destroy the idiot if he chose to attack. However, he was not expecting what he yelled after a protective gleam rushed through his light blue eyes.

"That's why, though I  _really_  can't believe I'm saying this," Naruto declared, "I choose  _you_ , Uchiha Sasuke, to be the one that will receive my assistance in winning Higurashi Kagome's heart!"

* * *

 _ **  
**_ **Note:** This little piece here at the bottom has  _nothing_ to do with the actual story and was simply written for my own amusement.

* * *

 **Omake**  (385 word "Bonus")

Sasuke twitched visibly, gritting his teeth. "You  _choose_  me? What am I; some kind of Pokémon?"

"NO!" Naruto shouted. "It's a figure of  _speech_ , damn it!"

"Yeah, sure it is," Sasuke muttered. Really, choosing him? He could do so much better than some idiot blonde—who could not even perform the shadow clone technique correctly— _choosing_  him as if he was some type of fictional creature from television.

" _BESIDES_ ," Naruto huffed in outrage, "if I was gonna choose you like that, you'd be named like Sasukemon—oh, wait, that's Digimon. I meant something like Sasuray or Ukeferno or Charsuke or—"

The Uchiha boy twitched again.

Stomping his foot at the Uchiha's obvious disrespect for the most  _awesome_  television show ever created in the history of shinobi  _everywhere_ , Naruto thrust his nose into the air. "Besides, out of the entire series, I liked Pikachu the best!"

"You would," Sasuke muttered.

"What was that, Sasuke-teme?" Naruto growled.

"I said,  _you would_ ," Sasuke snapped.

"Oh, yeah!" Naruto roared. "You think some other Pokémon is better than Pikachu! Huh? Huh? Bring it, Uchiha twit!"

"Actually, I  _do_ ," Sasuke challenged him. "I rather like the Luxray from the Pokémon Diamond, and in my honest opinion, it would kick your precious Pikachu's ass!"

"Only if you could level it fast enough!" Naruto chuckled like a madman. "Otherwise you'd so be screwed, you—you Luxray lovin' creep!"

Suddenly, without warning, Higurashi Kagome popped onto the rooftop. A brilliant grin spread across her face, as she threw her arms around Uchiha Sasuke's neck, stating, "No! You're both wrong! Umbreon and Charizard are the greatest Pokémon in the world!"

"Nuh uh!" Naruto shouted.

Pouting, Kagome flicked her finger across Sasuke's ear, asking, "You agree with me, don't you, Sasuke?"

Blushing lightly, the  _very_  happy Uchiha could only nod and say, " _Yeah_."

"Traitor!" Naruto shouted. "Choosing a girl over your Pokémon!"

Sasuke shrugged. He did, after all,  _have_  the girl at that moment. Agreeing with her would keep her there, and he was more than happy to do so if that were the case.

"Ugh!" Naruto threw his hands into the air, shouting, "You both suck!  _SUCK!_ "

Kagome just stuck her tongue out at him, petting the good little Uchiha's head while he obediently nodded at whatever she said. Oh,  _yes_ , she did rule!


	9. Direct Approach

Once again, the Uchiha boy could not believe that he had gotten himself into his current situation.

How had he ever agreed to the idiot's help?

The Uzumaki slammed his hand onto the desk for dramatic effect, catching the Uchiha's attention again. "You  _just_  don't understand!" he cried. "You  _have_  to act like a normal person if you even want to  _try_  catching Kagome's attention! She'll never go for that high and mighty Uchiha act that you've got going on!"

Iruka briefly glanced up from his position in the front of the classroom, before shaking his head and deciding that he did not want to know. He should just be happy with the fact that Naruto and Sasuke were not fighting at the current moment. After all, it was a tremendous step, considering they had come into the classroom  _together_  so early in the morning. They were not fighting, and he had known about Uchiha Sasuke's interest in Higurashi Kagome for quite some time already, so there really was nothing to worry about.

Except, perhaps, the young fan girl hearts that were just waiting to be broken.

"Kagome doesn't care about your stupid clan—" Naruto ignored Sasuke's narrowing eyes, "—She'd sooner marry some regular guy, like that moron Hojo, then  _consider_  you because you're from a powerful clan. And  _that's_  just scary, so you've got to read these notes I wrote down for you!"

"First off," Sasuke scowled, " _no one_  could read these  _notes_. And second off, from what I know, she does not like when people act like something they're not."

"You're point?" Naruto asked. Really, was it  _so_  hard for the Uchiha to understand he had to let down the arrogant, Uchiha barrier he had built around himself?

" _How_  is acting like a normal person supposed to help me when I am  _not_  a normal person?" Sasuke asked, trying to drill each word into the blonde's head. "Wouldn't that destroy the whole plan, since Kagome  _hates_  it when people act like someone they're  _not_?"

"Hm," Naruto nodded, stating, "I see you're point.  _But!_ "

"But?" Sasuke muttered.

"You've  _still_  got to stop acting so damn arrogant!" Naruto said.

"How  _many_  times must I explain to you—?" Sasuke started.

"Look!" Naruto snapped. "Don't argue with me! I'm Kagome's  _best friend_! I know exactly what she likes and what she doesn't like! And one of the things she hates is when people act like they're better than everyone else—which is what I'm talking about this time! You've got a be a little nicer, at least to her and those she cares about, otherwise she's going to get angry and stomp away like a child!"

Sasuke sighed, because he could see the blonde shinobi-in-training's point. He had  _known_  that little fact. But he supposed hearing it from Naruto's mouth finally stomped down the knowledge, since everything he did to try and impress her through his heritage was basically telling her that he was better than everyone else around them. And despite the fact that that was  _so_  true, it was also clear why she remained oblivious to his affection.

"Do you understand now?" Naruto asked.

"Yes," Sasuke nodded. Then, casting the blonde a dark look, he also stated, "However,  _don't_  expect me to start acting like I care about  _you_  because—"

"Well,  _duh_!" Naruto slapped his forehead. He also ignored the Uchiha boy's dark, irritated appearance as he glowered at him. "If you start doing that, Kagome's going to  _know_ something's up. She'll probably ask you what's wrong and then try to fix you. And that is definitely  _not_  what we're going for here!"

Fix him? Kagome often tried to help people, but he had never known her to try and  _fix_  them. Just what the hell was the blonde talking about?

"Don't look at me like that," Naruto grumbled.

"What are you talking about? Fix me?" Sasuke just  _had_  to know.

Naruto blinked at the other boy for a moment, before slowly stating, "Yes.  _Fix you_. She'll think something must be really wrong with you and start doing stuff to make you feel better and act normally." He paused for a single moment. "You might like that, but don't think too much into it. She does it with everyone. Something about hating when someone she cares about—which is basically  _everyone_ —is sick in any shape or form."

Slowly, the Uchiha nodded at the blonde Uzumaki. He had to wonder, though, exactly how Naruto's head worked, since his entire explanation fell under Sasuke's explanation of when Kagome tried to help someone. He had just put it into terms that were not only odd, but clearly only something Uzumaki Naruto would come up with.

Seriously,  _fixing_  people? It was  _so_  much easier to just say she was trying to help them.

"Alright," Naruto coughed, "back to our original subject."

Sasuke merely stared at him.

Picking up the piece of paper that the Uchiha had been ignoring since he threw it in front of him, Naruto skimmed down the list he had made. It took him only a moment to find something else on his "Uchiha Flaw" list that seriously needed to be abolished before Kagome would begin to notice Uchiha Sasuke's attention  _at all_. "Ok!" he grinned.

Uchiha Sasuke merely blinked, again, before he realized that the other shinobi-in-training was waiting for him to speak. So, he growled, "What?"

Chuckling, Naruto said, "Back to the clan business!"

" _What about it?_ " Sasuke snarled, noticing the pause the Uzumaki had made. Oh, if  _only_  he could strangle him.

"There are actually several things that you've got to stop doing," Naruto stated in a very business-like voice. "First off, Kagome does not—"

The sound of the classroom door clicking open halted the blonde's sentence, as the attention of the two boys snapped to the swinging door. Iruka found it slightly amusing, though he was not surprised when Sasuke was quick to react, kicking Naruto into the aisle and sliding into his seat.

"Hey!" Naruto yelled. "What the hell was that—?"

"Odd," a feminine voice broke this his rant, "this is  _not_  as surprising as it should be."

" _Huh?_ " Naruto blinked, turning to see the Hyuuga Neji Fan Girl standing in the doorway. And he sighed in relief, because being caught with Uchiha Sasuke—who quickly shoved his list into his pocket—by Mizuki was  _so_  much better than being caught by Kagome.

The Hyuuga Neji Fan Club member glanced between them in curiosity, before flipping her hair and smirking. "This is almost too good to be true," she squealed happily, confusing the two boys. " _But_ , it has finally happened and Neji-sama will be mine soon enough! I can only be happy that it happened so soon!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Naruto scowled. "I was only telling this bastard how much of a bastard he is! There's nothing  _special_  about that, and I  _really_  don't see how in the  _hell_  it's going to help you get that arrogant Hyuuga Neji!"

Sasuke felt the need to slam his head into his desk. Did Naruto  _think_  he was helping? Because he was pointing out the fact that he was lying rather blatantly! And the look that Mizuki sent them stated quite clearly that she knew that!

"Oh, there's no reason to play dumb with me, Naruto- _kun_ ," Mizuki giggled. "We  _all_  saw Higurashi Kagome leave the Academy with Uchiha Sasuke yesterday, and it was only a matter of time before she made him a part of your little group. I'm just surprised it happen so quickly."

The Uchiha felt the need to sigh in relief, though he hated the fact that Mizuki was  _even_ assuming that he would associate himself with someone like Naruto  _willingly_. He supposed it was better than her knowing his plan to have Higurashi Kagome, though, since the Hyuuga Neji Fan Girl would no doubt screw up his plan, despite the fact that she was trying to get rid of the chance at Kagome's heart. Her head was just too far up in the clouds.

"W- _what?_ " Naruto cried in outrage. "Kagome would  _never_  allow this ass into our amazingly awesome duo!"

"Oh, of course,  _Naruto_ ," Mizuki nodded. But, as she walked to her seat, she rolled her eyes at the blonde's attempt to correct her thinking. There was nothing he could do to make her think otherwise. Especially when the situation was turning out to be in her favor! After all, if Higurashi Kagome became interested in the little Uchiha, Neji would be hers for the taking!

And she simply could not wait to help the Hyuuga piece his heart back together!

Huffing at the Hyuuga Neji Fan Girl as she moved by him, Naruto finally managed to pick himself up from the ground and settled into his own seat. And, just to keep up appearances, he made sure to settle his head onto his arms and grumble about how idiotic the entire idea was. Which, in truth, was not that hard, because it  _was_  the dumbest thing he had  _ever_ heard.

Uchiha Sasuke would  _never_  be his friend.

Even if he managed to do as he told him in order to win Kagome's love, and became her boyfriend.

* * *

"Naruto?"

"H- _huh?_ " the blonde shinobi-in-training jerked upright, blinking rapidly.

Higurashi Kagome suddenly appeared in his line of sight, shoving her hand onto his forehead. "A-are you alright?" she asked in a soft voice.

Rubbing at his eyes, Naruto huffed, yawning, "W-what gave you that idea? I'm perfectly fine!"

The kunoichi-in-training scrambled over him into her seat, but made sure to keep her eye on the slumped over boy. And she frowned deeply as she watched him, because there was simply  _no_  possible way that Naruto was  _not_  sick in some way. Oh, and she was probably the cause of it!

Twitching a little, Naruto asked, "What's the matter?"

"Naruto," Kagome bit her lip, "I'm only going to ask once. Are you  _sure_  you're all right? Completely positive? I don't have to take you to the hospital to have the medic-nin's take a look at you?"

" _No!_ " Naruto practically shouted.

" _Naruto!_ " Iruka exploded from the front. Class had  _just_  started! There was  _no_  reason for him to be yelling!

His voice lowered when he continued, realizing that Iruka-sensei was in one of his moods and that class had apparently started around the time Kagome woke him up from his nap. "There's no reason to take me to the hospital! I said I'm fine!"

"B-but," Kagome almost felt like she should be crying, " _you_  were here…  _early_."

" _So?_ " Naruto blinked.

"Early!" Kagome gulped, wondering just how sick Naruto was. "Early, Naruto!"

"And that's a big deal  _because_ —?" Naruto urged her to continue.

"You're  _never_  here early," Kagome replied.

"Oh—" as he began to wake up completely, Naruto realized he  _might_  be destroying his entire plan. So, he laughed a little, trying to lighten the mood, "—Uh, Iruka-sensei wanted to talk to me this morning. I practically slept in the classroom just to get here on time, ya know."

Kagome gasped, and a moment later she tasted the coppery flavor of blood as she bit into her lip a little too hard. "Why didn't you tell me that Iruka-sensei wanted to see you in the morning? I wouldn't have made you do all those things yesterday. Especially over a measly thousand yen!"

Really? Naruto blinked, slowly going over Kagome's words a second time.  _Never_  made him do those things, or just let him off until some more convenient time? Because he really wanted to know how far he could take that piece of information in order to escape her harsh dictatorship in the future.

"Naruto?" Kagome asked after a moment.

"Well," Naruto quickly came up with another lie, "you know, if I'm going to be Hokage when I'm older, I've got to live up to my commitments. Besides! They were weeds. Nothing the great Uzumaki Naruto can't handle!"

"I  _guess_  so," Kagome stated slowly, watching him closely. Oh, she  _really_  hoped that he was telling the truth. If she had damaged him in some way because she made him stay out so late to do a job she, admittedly, should have done a week before, she would never forgive herself. Naruto was her best friend. How could she ever do something so  _awful_  to him?

Suddenly, Naruto narrowed his eyes and yelped, " _Holy crap!_ " in order to shift Kagome's attention away from him and their current conversation.

" _Uzumaki Naruto!_ " Iruka shrieked, turning to give the boy a piece of his mind. However, the next sentence never left his mouth when he caught sight of Naruto pointing at Higurashi Kagome, who seemed to have blood sliding over her bottom lip, down her chin, and onto her nice training clothes.

" _Kagome!_ " Naruto continued. "Your lip is bleeding like crazy!"

Uchiha Sasuke's head whipped around, his attention immediately snapping away from Iruka-sensei and settling onto the girl sitting behind him. And he almost hit himself when he realized that Naruto had come up with some stupid plan to keep Kagome from noticing anything odd. Though, he supposed that the stupidity of the entire moment probably  _would_ steer Kagome's attention completely away from the blonde.

Scrambling, Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, white cloth in order to dab a bit at the thick, red liquid spilling from Kagome's lip. "W-why isn't it  _stopping_?"

Kagome blushed a little, realizing that every eye in the classroom was turned upon her and Naruto was  _dabbing_  at her lips! Quickly, letting out a small whine because of the situation, Kagome grabbed onto Naruto  _helping_  hand and shoved him away from her. " _Agh!_  What do you think you're doing?!" she shouted.

"B-but, Kagome, your lip!" Naruto protested. This was  _much_  better than he thought it would be. Kagome was already starting to give him that burning, blue-eyed stare and it would not be long before she completely forgot about the fact that he had come to class early.

When the boy rushed at her with the cloth, Kagome shifted in her seat and slammed her sandal into his face without remorse. "Get that thing away from me, you idiot!" she screamed.

Slowly, Sasuke smirked, as he watched the blonde shinobi-in-training slam his head into the hard wood seating opposite of where he had been sitting. And his smirk only got a little wider when the other boy whimpered, holding the back of his head in pain. Because really, he  _definitely_  deserved  _that_  after everything he had done to the Uchiha clan, him, and then there was the simple fact that he had  _just_  been touching Kagome's  _lips_.

Iruka, slowly, placed his head into his hand in order to slow his breathing. However, the fact that Kagome had somehow injured herself, worrying him originally, quickly left his mind as his anger refused to subside. So, he settled with yelling, " _How many times must I tell you_ —!"

Kagome squeaked, because she knew for a fact Iruka-sensei was yelling at her. "U-uh," she started, "I-I've got to go to the bathroom!" And Iruka-sensei  _really_  exploded behind her, as she fled for dear life.

" _HIGURASHI KAGOME!_ "

* * *

"Target sighted," he whispered.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, though he kept his eyes on the target that Naruto spoke of.

"I said,  _target sighted_ ," Naruto grumbled. He narrowed his eyes on the unresponsive Uchiha.  _Despite_  how many times they had gone over the coding for their little mission, the Uchiha simply was  _not_  getting it. And he could just bet that the stupid Uchiha— _seriously_ , why did  _he_  have to be the one that was actually trying to make Kagome happy?—was ignoring him because he was eyeing Kagome's butt.

Or! Maybe he was thinking about how Kagome had forcefully shoved her foot into his face earlier, which, consequentially, slammed his head into a hard object! Yeah, he could just bet that was the reason. Stupid Uchiha probably thought it was  _hilarious_  that he now had a giant bruise!

Ignoring what he was  _supposed_  to do, Sasuke asked, "What exactly am I supposed to be doing?"

Naruto laughed nervously, saying, "Oh, I didn't tell you?"

Sasuke glared at him.

"Well," Naruto coughed a little, "after those two are out of the way, you're going to go for the direct approach."

" _Direct approach?_ " Sasuke asked.

"You're going to march over there and ask Kagome on a date!" Naruto nodded, happy with himself.

Blinking, Sasuke shifted his onyx colored eyes away from the sight of Kagome speaking with Sasaki Sango and Taisho Inuyasha in order to stare at the blonde. Seriously? A date? He expected Kagome to hand her heart over to him because of a  _date_? How  _stupid_  was he?

"What?" Naruto hissed.

"I could have  _easily_  come up with that," Sasuke hissed back.

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto snorted. "But we both know you wouldn't have. Your stupid Uchiha-ness would have prevented you from trying something so simple, even though it is going to work much better than your stupid plans."

"You're  _supposed_  to be helping me."

"I  _am_  helping you!" Naruto snapped in return. "If you think Kagome's so  _shallow_  that she'll suddenly hand her heart over because you've given her something or because you've played the pity card, you need to have you head examined. Immediately. Because capturing Kagome's very, very  _allusive_  heart is going to take a bit of time and effort! None of that, oh, look! I'm the great  _Uchiha Sasuke_  and I've totally got what you need, Kagome, so you should give me your love  _right this very second_."

Watching the other boy huff, Sasuke made sure to break eye contact as quickly as possible. What he had been doing was nothing like that. He had been trying to assess the quickest way to Kagome's heart. And  _only_  because he needed her to finally see him, to want him as much as he wanted her, and lift away that cloak of obliviousness that was stopping her from seeing his affection. He would have, eventually, changed his tactic and tried the slow approach in hopes that, over time, he would be the first to capture her.

He jut did not like the thought that someone else might receive what he needed so badly from her.

"Oh,  _oh_ ," Naruto grinned, snapping his attention back to their target. "The others are on the move. I repeat: the others are on the move."

"I heard you the first time," Sasuke said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

Scowling at him, Naruto said, "If you're not going to do it right—"

"Why don't we just get this over with  _before_  Kagome leaves?" Sasuke asked.

Pausing for a moment, Naruto nodded back. He said, "Good idea."

"Idiot," Sasuke muttered, as he moved away from the blonde.

"Hey—!" Naruto began, but the Uchiha was moving toward his intended target at a fast pace. He grumbled for a moment afterward, realizing that he would have to wait in order to get him back for the comment, but decided to watch. Because he was  _pretty sure_  that rushing out there to give the Uchiha a piece of his mind would give them away.

* * *

" _Kagome_."

The Higurashi girl shifted on her foot so suddenly that she nearly lost her balance, though she managed to correct her footing and smiled brightly. "Oh, hello, Sasuke," she began. "Is there something you wanted?"

"I was wondering—" and somehow, Sasuke's voice escaped him. He was pretty sure it was because of the light breeze that lifted up a few strands of Kagome's hair. However, he knew there was also a fair chance that it could have been because the smile she was wearing was just for him. Reminding him that as soon as he held her heart in the palm of his hand that she would always smile just for him.

Well, unless she got really pissed off at him.

Kagome blinked at the silence, wondering if Sasuke had come down with something. She had not spoken with him a lot during their days in the Academy, but she knew for a fact that he spoke in short sentences and always got his point across. But, for some odd reason, he  _continued_  to pause and stop what he was saying all together lately. Sure, the first time was understandable, since he was not the type to tell anyone about his problems, but it could not be a coincidence that it happened time and again. So, really, the only logical explanation was that he was sick.

Maybe Naruto had given it to him? She would not be surprised if that were the case. Her friend loved pulling pranks on the Uchiha clan whenever he could get away with it, and there were plenty of times for him to give a virus to one of them.

"I was  _wondering_ —" Damn it! Sasuke, almost instantly, closed his eyes tightly as he tried to force his tongue into doing what he wanted it to do. She was  _just_  a girl! "I  _was wondering_ —"

"Sasuke?" Kagome caught his attention. "Are you feeling alright?"

" _Yes_ ," Sasuke nodded slowly, allowing his eyes to open once more.

"It's just weird that you and Naruto are starting to act a little weird," she muttered. "I can't help but wondering if you might have come down with some kind of cold. Maybe you should visit the hospital or stay in bed for a couple days."

Sasuke blinked. At least she only thought he had a cold. Though, the fact that she looked like she might shove him into his bed herself—which might  _not_  be such a bad thing—was a little unnerving. Especially since he had never really interacted with her inside or outside the Academy until he decided it was time that he finally put his plan into action.

"But, if you're fine, I guess there's no reason to worry," Kagome nodded to herself.

Sasuke decided that it might be best to catch her attention and get the situation over with. The sooner he asked her out on a date, though he felt out of place, considering the girls always asked  _him_  out, the sooner he could get back to striving for her affection and love. So, he cut her off as she went to speak again, saying, "Kagome."

"Oh," she blushed a bit, "you were saying something?"

"Would you—?" No, definitely not good enough. "I was—" That one was down the drain. "This Saturday—" Damn it, why was it so damn hard? "I had hoped—" That one sounded a lot like another. "You see—"

Kagome tilted her head a little to the side, waiting for him to finish.

The small movement caught Sasuke's keen eye. It was just  _so_  damn cute that he could not help but have his eyes drawn to it. Unfortunately, though, he instantly lost track of what he had been trying to say and felt absolutely humiliated when he spoke again. " _Um._ "

Curse his tongue! And that damn feeling that suddenly rose in his stomach, flipping over and over again, because he had hoped that just one encounter with Higurashi Kagome would not bring forth that damn flip. It seemed, though, that the damn butterflies nesting in his stomach were not ready to leave him alone, because the small giggle that escaped Kagome's throat when he scowled increased the damn fluttering.

Seriously!?! How hard should it be to ask Higurashi Kagome on a simple date?!

* * *

"What the hell is he doing out there?" Naruto frowned to himself, blinking as the Uchiha subconsciously shifted his footing. "Giving her his life story?"

Despite the fact that the Uchiha was clearly floundering, Naruto  _was_  finding the situation highly amusing. It was what that damn Uchiha Sasuke deserved after refusing to use the secretive coding required for any mission! He should have stuck to the plan and done what he told him to do. But, no! He had to ignore the ground rules he set down!

Also, he deserved it after blasting him with that damn fire technique of his! His arm had hurt for  _quite_  some time, and still did occasionally, because that damn Uchiha had to act all high and mighty. Not to mention the fact that it had given Kagome a perfect way to make him pull those stupid, stupid little plants. Whatever in the hell they were.

So, he was getting  _exactly_  what he deserved.

"Did he just—" Naruto blinked, as the Uchiha boy stiffened. Then, he muttered, "You idiot, Sasuke. Just  _ask_  her already. It's not that hard. 'I want you to go out on a date with me'. ' _I_ want  _you_  to go out on a date with  _me_ '. Just  _say it_!"

Yes, Naruto  _did_  find it highly amusing that the Uchiha was having such a hard time asking Kagome such a simple question, but he also found it highly frustrating. He had told the other boy  _exactly_  what to say and  _exactly_  what to do if he wanted to catch Kagome's attention enough that she would actually  _consider_  it, but he was  _just_  standing there. Doing nothing! Nothing!?!

The Uchiha clan was considered one of the most powerful in Konoha's history. The greatest! The  _majestic_  and  _magnificent_  clan that had the Sharingan! So, why in the hell was _Uchiha_ Sasuke having such a hard time asking Kagome on a date?!? Why was he, someone from the great and terrifying clan, having such a hard time asking such a simple question?!? Why?!

" _Say it_." Naruto tried to mentally control the Uchiha with no luck. " _Say it_."

After a while, the blonde growled deep in his throat at the Uchiha's failure. Kagome was just a girl! Sure, a girl that could get extremely scary at times and Uchiha happened to love, but she was  _just a girl_! Why was it so hard for him to open his mouth and ask one little thing from her?

Straining his ears, Naruto tried to catch a bit of the Uchiha's attempt.

"You really… Naruto… great hit… But, uh…"

Twitching, Naruto flung his arms into the air. What the hell was he talking about?! He was supposed to be asking Kagome on a date, not chitchatting with her! Did he really think that he would  _ever_  hold Kagome's heart in his hand if he could not do a simple little thing?!

Frustrated, angry, and feeling the need to beat it into the Uchiha's head that he  _needed_  to do what he told him if he even wanted a chance at his oblivious friend, Naruto stomped away from his hiding place. He made sure that each step he took was loud and clear, while his clenched hands flew through the air in a brilliant display of temper. Then, once he was close enough that they could hear him, he shouted, " _Ugh!_ "

"Naruto?" Higurashi Kagome blinked in surprise.

Uchiha Sasuke also blinked, warning bells going off in his head and telling him that Naruto was about to screw up  _everything_.

Keeping his attention on the Uchiha boy, Naruto stomped a few times to get his point across. "Seriously?!? This is your  _attempt_! It's not that hard!" he yelled.

People along the street stopped and stared. Some merely blinked at the odd sight of Uzumaki Naruto shouting at Uchiha Sasuke and Higurashi Kagome, others wondered what exactly was going on, and most glared outright at the blonde shinobi-in-training for his mere presence. And those that glared took delight in the knowledge that the blonde's outburst would no doubt end with him being dragged to the Hokage's office by an ANBU.

Sasuke's eyes flickered to the small crowd. Oh,  _yes_ , Naruto was  _definitely_  going to ruin  _everything_.

" _Kagome_ —!" Naruto shouted in demonstration, " _—will you go out with me?_ "

The street suddenly became very quiet, as Uchiha Sasuke began glaring daggers at the near choking blonde. The crowd watched, though, silently, as the wide-eyed Uzumaki seemed to choke on his own tongue and glance nervously at the girl he had just asked on a date. Whether he meant to or not in his anger.

Oh  _shit_. Naruto suddenly wished he could cut his own tongue out, because he had just asked his best friend on a date! And he  _really_  did not want to go on one with her if she decided to—

"Stop being so silly, Naruto," Higurashi Kagome giggled, smiling brightly. "I will admit that that was a nice prank, but I've got to go fetch some things for my mother."

Naruto nodded numbly, silently thanking every deity that he could think of.

Slowly, the crowd dispersed. The people that had stood to watch returned to their daily lives, leaving the blonde Uzumaki and black haired Uchiha alone in a sea of people that had more important things to do at that moment. And that was more than enough motivation for Sasuke to slam his hand into the back of Naruto's head.

"Ow! Hey—!" Naruto began.

The dark look in Sasuke's eyes put a stop to his rant before it even began.

The Uchiha boy was  _not_  amused with his idiocy.  _Not at all_.


	10. Weekend Visits

"Oh, come on, I was just trying to help!" Naruto whined.

Sasuke, having ignored the blonde since the day before, surprisingly turned on his foot and glared the other boy straight in the eye. "You might have been  _trying_ , but you screwed up _everything_ ," he hissed.

Rolling his eyes, Naruto scowled, "It's not like  _you_  were doing any better!"

"Shut up already, idiot." Sasuke, even after only one attempt at one of Naruto's plans, had had enough of the other shinobi-in-training. He could do without seeing him for a very long time. Not only had he screwed up his own plan—and Sasuke was  _so_  glad that Higurashi Kagome did not have those feelings for the hyperactive blonde—but he had been nagging him every second he could without someone else finding out.

And he was  _sick of it_. Sick of him. Sick of  _everything_  that reminded him of the idiotic Uzumaki and his stupid,  _stupid_  disturbance.

Huffing, Naruto growled, "I  _never_  said this was going to be easy. And you weren't helping. You just  _stood_  there! Like an  _idiot_! You were supposed to be asking her on a date, but you couldn't even do that right!"

"You think that it is  _easy_  asking  _her_?" Sasuke sneered. "Because if you do, perhaps you should go try asking  _Sakura_  on a date and see how it feels!"

Oh, that was  _low_. Naruto scowled even more at the dark haired Uchiha, because he had gotten over his little crush on Haruno Sakura quite some time ago. Around the time that she first started snapping at Kagome for doing  _anything_  while in the presence of her precious Uchiha. Because he realized that it would not be fair to his one, and basically only, friend if he continued to want a girl that seemed to absolutely hate her.

"Girls ask  _me_  on dates, not the other way around," Sasuke continued.

Finally, Naruto made a face at the other boy, stopping his little speech altogether. Then, he said, "Yeah, well, if you plan on having a chance with Kagome, you're going to have to get over your little fear. You've got to let her get to know you, become someone she knows she can lean on, otherwise you're screwed."

Uchiha Sasuke only turned his head away.

Allowing his anger to drain away, Naruto reached up to scratch the back of his head. "Well," he began, "it's probably for the best anyway. Now that I think about it, Kagome would have probably turned you down politely because she doesn't know what type of person you are. And it probably would have been pretty weird that you,  _Sasuke_ , suddenly asked her on a date out of nowhere."

Again, for the millionth time, Naruto found himself underneath the Uchiha's dark glare.

"That's ok, though," Naruto punched his palm with a fist, "because I've got the  _perfect_  plan this time!"

"I'll believe it when I see it—" Sasuke was quickly cut off.

"This weekend," Naruto grinned, "you're going to be visiting the Konoha Orphanage!"

"The Konoha Orphanage?" Sasuke asked. That was certainly  _not_  what he was expecting to come out of the blonde's mouth. What reason would he have to go there?

"For someone that claims to like Kagome," Naruto shook his head lightly, "you sure don't know a lot about her. What were you doing all this time? Watching her hips sway?"

"No," Sasuke replied.

"I wouldn't be surprised if that's what you  _were_  doing," Naruto teased. "Watching her hips go back and forth, back and forth." He snickered, while he lightly moved his hips the way he had learned to while in his girl transformation state. It was just hilarious to think that the Uchiha  _might_  be a pervert, and he  _almost_  turned himself into Kagome just to tease him completely.

"For someone that claims to be Kagome's best friend and nothing more," Sasuke countered, anger filling his voice the more he spoke, "you seem to know a lot about her swaying hips. What do you do all the time? Stare at her butt? Or follow behind her because you need tips on how to be a girl?"

" _Ew!_ " Naruto scrunched his face up at the thought. "That's disgusting! Kagome's like my sister, there's no way I'd stare at her butt! Gross!  _Ah!_ " He did not seem to catch the fact that, harshly, Sasuke had  _once again_  called him a girl until a few moments later. "And, damn it,  _I'm not a girl!_ "

"Could have fooled me," Sasuke muttered lowly.

"What did you just say?" Naruto growled. He swore, if the Uchiha called him a girl  _one more time_ , he was going to stop helping him completely. He would let him do whatever he wanted and watch with glee as he was left in the dust like all of Kagome's other followers.

Sasuke decided it was best to change the subject. So, he asked, "Why am I going to the Konoha Orphanage this weekend?"

" _Because_ ," Naruto smiled, "Kagome goes there almost every weekend. She knows all of the children currently there, and it would look good for you if you got to know them and made them like you. Which, I seriously hope you can do. How good are you with children?"

"Better than asking—"  _again_ , the blonde did not let him finish.

"Good!" Naruto nodded a bit. "Though, we can only hope that the kids don't try to bite your head off or something."

Sasuke's eyes flickered.

"They're a little…  _odd_ ," Naruto said, noticing the Uchiha's twitch. "Insecure, you know. But, trust me, if you can get these kids to like you, you've almost got Kagome in the bag! Though, you  _shouldn't_   _ever_  think of Kagome as some type of possession." Naruto laughed a bit in fear, stating, "That might get you killed."

"I know," Sasuke replied. He was not stupid. He knew for a fact that doing such a thing could end with dire consequences, since Higurashi Kagome  _hated_  when people treated anyone else like a possession. And she  _especially_  hated when people tried to treat her like she was one.

However, the way Naruto shivered brought up a new question in his head: had Naruto ever tried to do such a thing? And, if so, how did he come out  _alive_?

* * *

With a roll of her eyes, an Uchiha Sasuke Fan Girl asked, "Where is Ino? She's supposed to be here by now."

"Yeah!" another agreed. "We're going to miss Sasuke-kun if she doesn't get here soon."

The entire Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club began to scowl darkly. Every single girl that had come for the Weekend Uchiha Watch disliked the very thought of missing Sasuke as he went out for his morning training. It was one of the only times that they each got to see him push beyond the limit, lower the mask he wore in public, and dream about the day they might be put onto the same genin squad with him. Because they all knew that the time was drawing near and needed to see him just  _one_  more time before Uchiha Leiko was most likely put onto his squad.

Deep down, they all knew it would happen. It was inevitable. Uchiha Leiko was the best of the best—the perfect kunoichi to be placed at Uchiha Sasuke's side. Yet, still, each hoped that they might be able to capture his attention  _before_  the inevitable happened. Thus, Yamanaka Ino had established the Weekend Uchiha Watch.

"Why does it matter if our president isn't here?" the arrogant Uchiha girl called from the side. "We all know that we could easily follow Sakura once she gets here, since she is our second in command."

"Yes,  _once_  she gets here," Asuka huffed.

"As if it matters," Mayu called. "We all know where we're going. They can catch up."

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Girls quieted down with the information. They all knew it was true. They could easily leave because it was common knowledge among the fan girls that the watch took place in the same area every Saturday and Sunday at exactly eight in the morning. All who were late could easily catch up, whining about how they had not waited. Because,  _really_ , if they were not serious about wanting Uchiha Sasuke, the rest of the fan club was more than happy to leave them in the dust.

Asuka growled in Mayu's direction, stating, "True. However, Mayu, you're forgetting one little detail."

"And what might that be,  _Asuka_?" Mayu hissed back. Oh, how she wished that the other girl would just drop dead. Asuka had been a thorn in her side for quite some time and it was time that the other girl realized that she would  _never_  be good enough for Sasuke.

"The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club Code clearly states that all activities revolving around Sasuke  _must_  always be monitored by one of our presidents," Asuka smirked. She just loved the way Mayu began to sneer in hatred. "That way someone like  _you_ , though you'll never be able to, will not go behind our backs and try to snatch Sasuke-kun without our knowledge. Because, as you  _should_  know, one of us will get him, but it  _must_  be on fair and even grounds."

"That's true," another girl nodded. "We must wait for Ino or Sakura."

"I say we go," Mayu argued. "We all know that Leiko—"

Uchiha Leiko's dark eyes narrowed at the disrespect attached to her name.

"— _is_ , and always has been, more of a president than Ino  _or_  Sakura." Mayu huffed again, continuing, "Ino is more worried about chasing after Uchiha Itachi, and Sakura is always whining about how Sasuke-kun keeps pushing her away. We need someone with a level head, someone that has always been there for us, and Leiko  _is_  that person!"

Quietly, the girls began to mutter back and forth amongst themselves. They all  _knew_  it was true. Uchiha Leiko had always acted more like their president than either Ino or Sakura. She always had the right idea, always steered them in the right direction, and she was a genius from the Uchiha clan. And, the more they thought about it, it only seemed fair that Leiko was named the president if Yamanaka Ino was more worried about Uchiha Itachi and Haruno Sakura thought only about herself.

"All decisions  _must_  be overseen by a club president!" Asuka yelled. There was  _no_  way Mayu was going to beat her. Not if she had anything to say about it!

"They  _are_ ," Mayu sneered happily. "Leiko is  _right here_."

"Um," an Uchiha Sasuke Fan girl called from the back. " _No_ , she's not."

"W- _what_?!" Mayu shrieked, turning on her foot to find that the Uchiha girl had disappeared. She wanted to stomp in outrage at the very sight, because it just  _figured_  that Leiko would bail on her and let that damn Asuka win!

"Oh, my, Mayu," Asuka gave a fake sigh, "it seems that Leiko doesn't want to be our club president. That must  _really_  make you feel bad. I mean, the one person that you  _obviously_ look up to has left you high and dry. I feel for you, I don't know what I'd do in a situation like  _this_."

"Oh, shut up, Asuka!" Mayu yelled.

Reina stepped in at that moment, waving her hand in a pacifying manner. "Girls, there's no need to—"

" _Shut up_ , Reina!" they both hissed. That girl  _really_  got on their nerves.

Reina, her levelheaded nature draining away, allowed herself a moment to scowl.

"So, where do you think Leiko went?"

"Most likely got tired of them arguing and decided to go on ahead," another girl suggested. It was the most logical explanation, since Leiko  _was_  a part of the Uchiha clan and knew the most about Sasuke. She would probably be able to infiltrate the Uchiha Head's mansion by simply speaking with the Uchiha matriarch, and thus place herself closer to Sasuke.

The entire Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club stiffened at the very idea. It  _might_  be inevitable that Uchiha Leiko would most likely be placed onto Uchiha Sasuke's genin squad,  _but_  none of them liked the fact that she  _always_  had one foot ahead of them. After all, they were all supposed to be given a fair and equal chance at Sasuke's heart until one of them managed to steal it from under his nose. And, from their eyes, Leiko did not seem to be following the rules very often.

"Hey! I'm here," Yamanaka Ino's voice echoed into the area. "Sorry I'm late, my mother needed me to clean up the shop before it opened!"

As if to rub it in, Asuka said, "Good,  _now_  we can leave!"

And Mayu scowled darkly at Asuka's back as she practically skipped over to Ino's side.  _Someday_. Someday she would shove Asuka's face into the dirt and show her, her proper place in the world. After all, she would need something to do after she managed to capture Sasuke's attention.

* * *

The plan was quite simple, really. Nothing he could not handle. And, besides, he was positive that the children at the Konoha Orphanage could  _not_  be as bad as Uzumaki Naruto tried to make them seem. They were probably just lonely, scared of new people, and attached themselves to Higurashi Kagome because she was one of the few people willing to actually pay them any attention after they had been there for so long.

So, Uchiha Sasuke strolled down the street with every intention of making Naruto's current plan work. It had to work, because he doubted that the idiot's head was filled with many _good_  ideas. The fact that he had come up with  _one_  was shocking enough. And that single fact gave Sasuke every reason to fulfill the one good plan that might  _ever_  come from Naruto's head.

He was becoming a bit impatient, though. His gut was fluttering lightly at the mere thought of what he planned to do, yet he had not even seen a trace of the dark haired Higurashi. And, truly, it was ridiculous. The mere thought of her fluttering black hair or deep blue eyes or smiling lips should  _not_  leave him with a constant ache in his stomach.

Where was she? Naruto had said that Kagome followed the same path every time she went to the Konoha Orphanage. There was no way that he could have missed her, since he had at least four shadow clones patrolling the path up and down every second. So,  _where_  was she? What was she doing? Had she been kept from coming?

It was becoming very likely that her mother had decided to keep her for the day. Her skills as a kunoichi  _would_  make any rough housework a thing of the past. And there was also the possibility that someone had managed to snag her attention and decided to start a conversation. He would not be surprised if that blasted Hyuuga tried to take her time away from a few children waiting for her to arrive.

Onyx eyes narrowing, Sasuke turned on his foot once more and nearly collided with one of his clones. His mouth opened instantly to yell, despite the damage that it might do to his reputation, before the clone lifted its arm and pointed just beyond the people he had turned to face. And his eyes followed the clone's hand just to make sure, before he dismissed them all.

There she was. Her hair bouncing with each step that she took, her smile bright, and her eyes betraying her happiness even from the distant. However, despite how much her beauty captured his attention, Sasuke did take note of the few plastic bags hanging from her arms. He wondered for a brief moment what she was carrying, before he noticed how close she was getting to his position and set his feet back into motion.

Allowing his eyelids to fall halfway closed, the Uchiha boy mentally created a straight line toward the object of his affection. It would be so easy. Though he quickly became annoyed with the increased flipping in his stomach the closer he got. It only told him that he was right, Higurashi Kagome  _was_  the only girl for him, but he could do without it erupting in his gut each time he came into her presence.

Mentally, knowing he had already screwed up many times before, he tried to shift his attention away from the Higurashi girl in order to make the fluttering stop. She commanded his attention, though. The beautiful lift of her lips and the way she practically skipped the longer she walked. It was  _almost_  amazing that she could command his attention in such a way, considering she was completely oblivious to his attention in the first place and each movement she made was  _not_  meant to be as seductive as he saw it.

 _Almost_.

Someone called out to the Higurashi girl from the crowd, catching her attention, and Sasuke almost smirked when he recognized Naruto's voice. Perfect timing for an idiot, so he was not about to let the opportunity run away from him. He shifted into Kagome's path in that moment, turned his head, and allowed his body to collide with her own hard enough that she was toppled over by the impact. She gave a small sound of surprise, the bags she was carrying hitting the ground and spilling their contents, while he quickly grabbed a hold of her wrist to keep her upright.

" _Hey, you need to watch where you're going!_ " Kagome hissed in outrage.

"Kagome?" Sasuke asked. He sounded quite surprised, and he silently congratulated himself. He had been sure that his damn tongue would betray him once more.

Glancing up from her spilled goods, Kagome's pretty blue eyes blinked in surprise. It was obvious why anyone would be surprised, since everyone knew from listening to the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club that Sasuke  _always_  trained from eight in the morning until eleven every Saturday and Sunday. So, to find that the Uchiha boy had been the one to nearly bowl her over made her pause.

Releasing her wrist—it was so  _small_ , and he felt the urge to drag it to his face—he quickly averted his eyes from the damage he had caused to the street. Quietly, he muttered, "Sorry about that."

"Oh." Kagome looked back down at the candy and sweets spilled at her feet, blinking for a moment as if she had never seen them. "That's alright."

Watching the girl as she knelt down to begin picking up the boxes and boxes of junk food, Sasuke wrinkled his nose just slightly. He  _hated_  sweets. Absolutely hated them, but he supposed that it was just one more thing that he would have to live with once he gained her love. After all, it was not like she would be shoving the snacks down his throat.

After a moment of watching her, Sasuke finally knelt down beside her and grabbed onto a box of strawberry pocky to hand to her. "Here, let me help you," he stated calmly.

"Thanks," Kagome grinned. Her shock wore off quite quickly, while she gathered the treats back up and shoved them into the plastic bags lingering nearby. However, she quietly cursed underneath her breath when she realized that one bag was completely missing.

"Is something wrong?" Sasuke asked. He had seen her problem and did not think it all that helpful to tell her that the bag had flown away with the wind. It was probably being trampled underneath the feet of everyone else by then. Or maybe Naruto had managed to use his brain and picked it out of the air in case she tried to look for it. Either way, it would be of no use to her.

Perfect. Mission accomplished.

"My bag is gone," she sighed.

"I—" he sighed to calm himself, "I made you drop them, so I'll carry them for you."

"Oh," she laughed a bit, "you don't have to do that. I'll just find some way to get them to fit into these—!"

"It's fine," he shook his head, gathering the remaining sweets into his arms. "Where are you headed?"

Standing with him, Kagome frowned a bit when she flickered her eyes over the sight of an esteemed Uchiha clan member carrying boxes and boxes of sweets. It just did not look right, but she was not going to stop him if he really wanted to help her. He had, after all, been the one that bumped into her. So, she sighed, stating, "I'm just going down a few more streets to the Konoha Orphanage."

As they began to walk, Sasuke nodded his head at her answer. He already knew that, but he figured it was best to show a little curiosity at the information. "Why?" he asked.

The Higurashi girl had expected the question. It was not every day that an Academy student—or  _anyone_ , really—paid a visit to the local orphanage. The fact that she wanted to go there probably stunned him. She shrugged, though, smiling as she said, "I know the kids there."

"Hn." Sasuke decided, his stomach burning from the inside out, that he should keep his sentences short and to the point. He knew that he did so subconsciously with every one else that wanted to speak with him and it would help to keep up appearances. Not only that, but at least with short sentences he did not run the risk of tripping over himself.

"You should know one of them," Kagome continued. She recognized the beginning of silence, and she was more than willing to speak in the Uchiha's place as long as silence did not fill the space between them completely. "He's the oldest out of them all, and he graduated from the Academy when Hyuuga Neji did."

"Did he?" Sasuke asked. He was drawing a complete blank, but he supposed that it was because the Uchiha clan never found it important to meddle in the lives of those beneath them. Which was also the reason he stiffened just slightly when that blasted Hyuuga's name slipped from Kagome's lips.

She nodded, saying, "Yeah."

Sasuke remained silent.

Frowning, Kagome said, "You have no idea who I'm talking about, do you?"

Again, Sasuke chose silence. He was satisfied with listening to her speak, though it was about someone else, and found that the flipping in his stomach seemed to decrease a bit each time she opened those pretty lips of hers and allowed her voice to spill forth. His attention was on her, her attention was on him, and  _surprisingly_  it did not seem so difficult to be in her presence—at least without trying  _something_  to catch her attention—when he began to relax.

Shaking her head with a sigh, she continued, "Well, you'll have to come inside to set those down, so I guess you'll find out when you get there." She paused in thought, before nodding to herself. "He shouldn't be on a mission at the moment."

Silence finally filled the space between them, while Uchiha Sasuke watched from the corner of his eye as Higurashi Kagome bit her lip. The butterflies in his stomach scorched through his throat— _oddly_  enough— _pleasantly_ , and he knew it was because every action she made was  _because_  of him at that moment. There was simply no way she could ignore the fact that he was there, with her and watching her, and he had to hope that she  _might_  just notice how much he wanted to be there at all times.

 _But_ , he knew that her oblivious nature would write it off as kindness, and he was probably letting his hope rise too high. At least for the moment.

Unfortunately, though, the walk to the Konoha Orphanage was not a long one and Sasuke soon found himself staring up at the old, leaning building in the distance. It had to be the millionth time he had seen it that day, but again he wondered why every one ignored the current state of the building. Every one except for Kagome, he could see her frown as they neared, because she clearly noticed the cracking wood covered up with vines; the old roof that had not been replaced in years and probably leaked; the dark coloration of the building that had probably not been caused by paint; and the slight lean that the old building was beginning to get.

And, he supposed, that despite his clan's views, he began to notice because of how much it seemed to matter to her. He knew it mattered to her. She would not go there, befriend those that lived there, and constantly bring them food, unless she cared.

* * *

Quietly, Uchiha Leiko gazed down upon the busy street with slitted eyes. She had been searching for her cousin for quite some time, after realizing he had skipped out on his morning training, and had been a little surprised to find him near the Konoha Orphanage. Well, until she had noticed the girl walking at his side.

Higurashi Kagome. The completely oblivious girl that had gained the attention of the Hyuuga prodigy—Hyuuga Neji—the year before after she tripped and accidentally kissed him on the mouth. The charming, bright-eyed girl that suddenly jumped in rank because her family decided it was time she learned some of the Higurashi family's treasured techniques. The only person, girl or boy, that could stand the idiotic, dead last, Uzumaki Naruto and his foolish pranks.

Leiko's mouth slowly dipped downward into a dark scowl, while she watched her cousin and the Higurashi girl interact. She never quite understood what it was about the girl that attracted people to her, but she was beginning to see that her own flesh and blood, Uchiha Sasuke, was falling to her devious call. Why else would he suddenly pay so much attention to her? Why else would he stumble, trip, and screw up the Uchiha clan's beloved fire technique?

She really should not be surprised, she supposed. The girl had attracted the Hyuuga prodigy, so it had only been a matter of time before the Uchiha prodigy felt he needed to compete with him. Win the heart of the girl he wanted and throw it in his face. Prove to the village that the Uchiha clan was superior to the Hyuuga clan in every way, despite how low it might seem.

Yet, despite how normal the situation seemed in her mind, Uchiha Leiko could not control the monster that raged underneath her flesh. Her father—constantly bowing down and kissing Fugaku's feet—had mapped out her entire life long ago, and she  _hated_  it. Hated the fact that her entire life had to be dedicated to the Uchiha clan and the heirs Uchiha Fugaku had produced. Hated the fact that she was held down by invisible chains.

She had found a way out, though, despite the awful taste that it left in her mouth. A way to escape the life her father and the rest of the Uchiha clan expected from her. Marry Uchiha Fugaku's youngest son. Gain his attention and love, become his wife, and settle down in the comfort of the Uchiha Head's home. The very idea might leave a disgusting taste in her mouth, but she would rid herself of the responsibility expected from her and  _finally_  obtain the life she truly deserved.

The sight below her might just ruin her entire plan, though. Sasuke's need to compete with Hyuuga Neji  _might_  lead to him actually caring for the non-Uchiha twit. His need to gain what Hyuuga Neji wanted  _might_  lead to him actually wishing to marry Higurashi Kagome. His  _idiocy_  might lead to him ruining her entire plan, and Uchiha Leiko was  _not_  about to let her foolish cousin screw her out of her pampered life.

Silently, the beast within her roaring in outrage, the Uchiha girl wished that she had the Sharingan. The Uchiha clan's Sharingan would prove once and for all that she was superior—that she deserved the life Uchiha Itachi and Sasuke gained by simply being  _born_. The Sharingan would show the rest of her stupid clan that she deserved more than what they expected to give her. And the Sharingan would put an end to Sasuke's need to compete with the Hyuuga prodigy.

Because, really, why would her cousin want some non-Uchiha twit when he could have a strong, Sharingan wielding, Uchiha born woman?

But, Leiko did  _not_  have the Sharingan. So, she supposed, she would simply have to eliminate the Higurashi girl. It was clear that she would not take a hint,  _ever_ , which left her with only the option of destroying her to the point Uchiha Sasuke would  _never_  look in her direction again. Actually, the more she thought about it, she would not even have to  _touch_ Higurashi Kagome to eliminate her. There were plenty of fools within the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club she could manipulate into doing  _anything_  once a few seeds of anger were planted.

After all, why should she, an Uchiha, risk the anger of the Uchiha clan, Hokage, and Higurashi family when she could get some other fool to do her dirty work?

* * *

The floor creaked ominously underneath Sasuke's feet, while he followed Higurashi Kagome's bouncing form into the less than impressive kitchen inside the Konoha Orphanage. The whole place seemed barely fit enough to house mice, let alone children. How in the world had the Hokage, or the Elder Council for that matter, let the living conditions inside the orphanage get so  _nasty_?

"—and Rin's the cutest little girl you'll ever see," Kagome smiled. She was not sure if the Uchiha boy was paying attention to her, but she was glad to be rid of the silence that had settled around them. And even if he was not paying attention to her, it was nice to recall all the little events she had shared with her friends. "I think you'll like her, though she can be a little shy when she first meets someone."

"I see," he nodded. He did not even try to remind Kagome that he never said he was staying. Because he was, and it was probably best just to let her think she had come up with the idea on her own.

The Higurashi girl smiled a little wider, turning her head enough that she could see the boy following behind her. She had expected him to drop the snacks he was carrying and run for it, but it was nice to know that someone higher in status at least took the time to examine and think about the poor souls living in the Konoha Orphanage. Because truly they had no one but themselves, though they had gladly dragged her into the small group, and many overlooked them as if they did not exist.

Well, except for  _one_ , but in truth he wanted nothing to do with the rest of the village. His loyalty was bound to the old, falling a part home and the other children that often times looked to him when the times were rough. Not to the village. Not to the people that lived there. Just himself and those that had managed to crack open his cold, black and bleeding heart.

It did not take long for them to enter the kitchen, where Kagome set down the bags she was carrying and helped the silent Uchiha with the armful of items he held. Though, in truth, he probably could have just thrown them onto the table. He liked the current situation  _much_  better, since the object of his affection continued to touch him lightly each time she took something from him, leaving tiny trails of fire up his flesh.

Sasuke shivered when Kagome looked away again. Oh, if only the oblivious girl would open her eyes! Then he could drag her into his arms and tell her how much he wanted her, needed her, instead of silently allowing her to touch him in order to get rid of his growing weakness.

"Hm, I wonder where they all are—" Kagome reached for the final box of pocky Sasuke held between his fingers, while she muttered to herself, "—they can't  _all_  be training this early in the morning. Rin hates mornings, and Ka—"

The faint sound of feet hitting the ominously creaking floor entered the kitchen, and Sasuke noticed the way Kagome's smile brightened. He almost sighed, wishing for a moment that that beautiful smile was directed at him, but managed to keep the small exhale in when a child's voice yelled from somewhere in the old house.

" _Kagome!_ "

Another voice quickly followed, squealing, " _Kagome-nee's here?!_ "

The floor creaked continuously, until finally two small children came rushing in through the kitchen door. They made a beeline for Higurashi Kagome, ignoring the fact that the boy with her quickly stepped out of the way, and tackled her as if they had not seen her in decades.

Sasuke studied them both for a moment, realizing that the girl attached to Kagome's waist had to be the young girl that Kagome had been talking about. Rin, if he remembered correctly, and he was a little surprised to find that she looked a  _lot_  like Kagome. Almost like they could be distant cousins, though the young girl's hair was a deep shade of brown instead of black. And she certainly did  _not_  seem shy, with the way she had attached herself to Kagome's body and began rubbing the lopsided ponytail on top of her head against Kagome's stomach.

The other orphan, a boy, was much shorter than the girl. His shockingly red hair was a mess on top of his head, almost as if he had just managed to rouse himself out of bed. His clothing was nothing special, though it appeared as if the most expensive thing he owned were his shinobi sandals. The boy was reaching upward, much like a child would when they wanted their mother to hold them, and tugging insistently at Kagome's shirt.

" _Kagome! Kagome!_ " the little boy called, demanding her attention. " _What'd ya bring us?_ "

"Only your favorite, Shippo!" Kagome smiled down at him. She plucked a box of strawberry flavored pocky from the table and handed it to him. And her smile only stretched a little further as she watched him immediately tear open the box and shove one of the sugar coated biscuits into his mouth.

"Kagome-nee," Rin began tugging at her shirt. "Kagome-nee!"

If Sasuke had not known any better, he might have said the scene before him looked very much like two younger siblings fighting for the attention of their elder sibling. He did know better, though, while the thought of Kagome one day spoiling her own children entered his mind. The thought was very tangible in his mind, and he was positive she would not object to them being Uchiha born by the time they graduated.

"Hm," Kagome looked down at Rin, tilting her head, "who're you? I've never seen you here before. Are you new?"

Sasuke smirked just a little, content with watching.

Rin growled, her bright face turning sour. "Kagome-nee! You've forgotten about Rin,  _again_!? Rin has always been here! Last week, the week before! Rin is Rin!"

"Are you sure?" Kagome asked. "Because if I remember correctly, Rin is a sweet little girl who always says 'please' before I give her any candy. Unlike a certain little boy that I know." She cast a pointed look at Shippo, silently reminding him that he needed some manners.

Shippo smiled cutely, stating, "Thank you, Kagome!"

"You're very welcome, Shippo." She reached down, ruffling his hair until it looked extremely awkward. He tried to bat her hands away, shoving another pocky stick into his mouth, but she only laughed lightly until she released him.

"Rin says please! Rin says please!" Rin laughed, tugging at Kagome's shirt once more to gain her attention. "Please, please,  _please_!"

"Ok, ok." Kagome shook her finger at the younger girl, while grabbing onto a box of chocolate flavored pocky. She smiled, while she said, "Alright, little girl, I don't know who you are, but I'll give you some of Shippo's candy for being such a kind young lady."

"Rin is  _Rin_!" Rin cried in outrage. "And Rin  _hates_  pocky! Kagome-nee knows!"

"Yeah," Shippo scowled, "that's  _my_  candy!"

"Don't be greedy, Shippo," Kagome scolded lightly. She tossed the chocolate pocky onto the table, before picking up the small box her mother had filled with cookies and chocolates for the little girl. She handed it down to Rin, as the smiling girl grabbed onto the box and ripped it open to get at the sweets inside.

Rin squealed at the sight of her favorite cookies, as she said, "Thank you, Kagome-nee. Rin loves you!"

"I keep telling you," Kagome sighed, "you should love my mother, she made them."

The young girl shook her head quickly, saying, "Rin  _only_  loves Kagome-nee!"

Shippo nodded in agreement, shoving another pocky stick into his mouth. He would eat it as quickly as he could, no matter how many times Kagome tried to tell him to slow down, because he knew that he had pissed Rin off the night before. And though the little girl said she hated pocky with a passion, she would eat it just to get even with him when she got the chance.

"There's no living with you two," the Higurashi girl sighed.

A quiet sigh caught Sasuke's attention, dragging his attention away from Kagome for only a moment. He narrowed his eyes, looking behind him to find another occupant of the Konoha Orphanage standing there. She was a little  _odd_ , as Naruto said they would be. She was young, obviously so, yet she wore entirely white, right down to her shinobi sandals. She did not just  _wear_  all white, she  _was_  white. Her skin was extremely pale, almost as if she had never seen the light of day, and even her hair was the same stark white color. The only thing on her that was not brilliantly white, that he could see, was a tiny purple flower tucked behind her ear.

The white girl bowed her head, her black eyes closing, as she said, "Uchiha-san."

Blinking at the girl's monotone, Sasuke dipped his head politely in return.

She glided by him, not making a sound, until she stood in front of Higurashi Kagome. She ignored the Uchiha completely once she reached her, deciding that he was not a threat if he had entered the house with the older girl, and allowed a tiny, awkward smile to cross her emotionless face. "Kagome," she greeted.

"Hello, Kanna," Kagome smiled back. She was glad that the girl was beginning to open up, especially after what had happened to her family so long ago. "Would you like some candy today?"

" _No_." There was absolutely no passion in her voice, yet her answer was absolute and left no argument. "Sweets make me nauseous."

"Yes, yes, I know," Kagome chuckled. She rummaged through each bag she had brought, before she produced two shining, red apples. As she handed them to the awaiting girl, she said, "You're the  _only_  little girl I know who doesn't like sweets, Kanna."

"It does not matter," Kanna shrugged lightly.

"No, I guess it doesn't," Kagome agreed. There was no arguing with Kanna, but she did not blame the girl. She might have lost her will to live after watching every one but her elder brother ripped a part before her eyes, too.

Kanna merely ignored her afterwards, pulling a single chair from the table and sitting in it. She also ignored the rest of the treats sitting on the table's surface, choosing instead of bite into one of the bright, red apples the Higurashi girl had brought her. A bit of juice trickled down her chin a moment later, but she did not practically care and did not reach up to wipe it away.

"She's been up since five this morning," Shippo whispered. He knew Kanna could hear him, but the girl would not do anything about it. "She had to go visit  _their_  graves today, ya know."

"Oh,  _right_ ," Kagome nodded back. That explained why the final, and oldest, had yet to arrive. And she almost hit herself, because she  _should_  have known that.

"Rin thinks that Kanna is sad today," Rin frowned.

Shippo shook his head, saying, "Kanna's sad  _every day_."

"Nuh uh!" Rin scowled.

"Uh huh!" Shippo scowled back.

" _Nuh uh!_ " Rin growled.

" _Uh_ — _!_ "

" _Guys!_ " Kagome snapped, putting a stop to the argument. "There's no reason to argue.  _Not_  today."

"Sorry," they mumbled together.

Kanna remained silent, chewing at her apple slowly, dispassionately.

Sasuke cast his onyx colored eyes around the room, feeling the atmosphere weigh down on him as if he was not supposed to be there. He ignored the uncomfortable feeling, though, because he refused to leave until Higurashi Kagome told him to leave. And even then he would be back another day to try and capture her heart.

Quickly, Shippo shoved another pocky stick into his mouth as the room became silent. He tapped his foot against the floor, twisting himself to remain occupied, before he finally realized that something was  _not_  right about the room. "Hey," he started slowly, "who's  _he_?"

Rin turned, blinking when she realized that an older boy was standing near the doorway. She stiffened at the sight of him, her eyes wide, before she ducked herself behind Kagome's legs. Her tiny hands gripped onto Kagome's loose shorts, as terrible memories shifted through her mind.

Now, seeing the girl's action, Sasuke understood why Kagome said she was shy. She was actually shaking, and she seemed more terrified than shy.

"He's—"

"Uchiha Sasuke," Kanna's quiet voice replied. "Uchiha Fugaku's youngest son, little brother to Uchiha Itachi, and soon to be genin."

"How— _how did_ —?" Rin whimpered.

"He came with me, Rin," Kagome said softly. She smoothed her hand over the young girl's head, trying to calm her nerves. "He came with me. It'll be all right, he's not going to hurt you."

" _Kagome-nee_." Rin whimpered again, burying her head into Kagome's back.

Sasuke decided it was time to say something,  _anything_ , though his stomach began to flip harshly. He knew that anything he said might turn the children against him—each and  _every_ one of them—and he had only one chance to get on their good side. But, he also knew that it might be the turning point in his hunt for Higurashi Kagome's love, and his stomach turned against him at the last moment. " _U_ —"

" _What's going on in here?_ "

Swiftly, Sasuke turned on his foot and found himself staring into a pair of pale, lavender colored eyes. He wondered for a moment how the other person had snuck up on him—though, he did admit that Kanna had done the same thing—and his eyes narrowed as a brief thought crossed his mind. The boy standing before him, his black clothing contrasting with his brilliantly white hair, almost looked like a Hyuuga for a moment, but Sasuke quickly realized that his eyes were far too pale.

"What are you doing here?" the boy hissed. " _Uchiha_."

"Hakudoushi," Sasuke growled back. Oh,  _yes_ , he remembered the eleven year old that jumped through the shinobi world as if it were nothing at all. And he  _vividly_  remembered how harshly his father trained him for quite some time afterward, demanding to know how an orphan managed to surpass one of his sons in skill.

The air became tense, and Kagome quickly stepped forward.

"Kagome-nee," Rin tried to call her back. She did not like meeting new people,  _not at all_ , and she only wanted the older girl to come back to her.

"Hello, Hakudoushi," Kagome grinned.

Hakudoushi's glare shifted a bit, catching sight of the Higurashi girl, before he relaxed his stance. His glare remained as he kept an eye on the Uchiha boy, but he dipped his head in greeting. "Hello, Kagome."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed a little further. He  _really_  did not like the tone the other boy used when he spoke to Kagome. It was almost as if, silently, he was trying to strike a claim! And it gave Sasuke  _more_  than enough reason to hate Hakudoushi more.

"Have you been training this entire time?" Kagome asked.

"No," Hakudoushi shook his head. "I remained at my father's grave after Kanna left."

"I see," the girl nodded in acceptance. "Would you like something sweet? My mother gave me enough to feed a horse."

"Not at the moment," he declined. He kept a firm eye on the Uchiha, daring him to do anything as he tensed. Really, he would  _like_  to see him  _try_.

"Sasuke?" Kagome offered.

"No," Sasuke replied, "I don't care for them."

Shippo, scowling when he realized he was going to be ignored for some time, shoved another pocky stick into his mouth. He glanced at Rin briefly, noticing the way she was picking at her skirt. Finally, he said, "Kagome, you were going to play with us today, weren't you?"

Rin perked up a little, though not enough to be noticed physically. She wanted to play with Kagome, but she was unsure what might happen if that new boy stayed. She knew nothing about him. There was a big,  _big_  chance that he might try to hit her like all those mean kids that Hakudoushi got rid of.

" _Of course!_ " Kagome smiled brightly.

"Yes!" Shippo yelled. "Lets play shinobi-tag! Please,  _please_ , Kagome!"

"Are you sure?" Kagome snickered. "You're going to lose if we do."

"Not today!" Shippo growled at her. "I've been practicing with Hakudoushi!"

"And was he going at full speed?" Kagome  _had_  to ask.

"Um—well— _no_ ," Shippo admitted. "But I'll still beat you this time!"

"I guess if you  _really_  want to play," Kagome sighed. They  _always_  played shinobi-tag, Shippo determined to at least increase his skills before he decided to finally enter the Academy. "Are you going to play, Rin?"

Slowly, Rin nodded, saying quietly, "Yes."

"Kanna?" Kagome asked.

Kanna did not reply, continuing to chew on her apple.

"If you don't want to, you can just say—" Kagome sighed, as Kanna finally moved.

Very slowly, Kanna turned her black eyes onto the Higurashi girl, and stated, " _No_."

"Do you want to play, Sasuke?" Kagome asked. She did not need to ask Hakudoushi, she  _already_  knew that he would cater to the other children by playing.

"I—" Sasuke growled at the flicker in Hakudoushi's eyes, "—I suppose."

Hakudoushi suddenly smirked cruelly, as he chuckled, "Prepare to be beaten,  _Uchiha_."

" _Don't count on it_ ," Uchiha Sasuke hissed.

"Well—!" Kagome pumped her fist into the air, "—I guess it's time to go outside and get started then!"

"Come on, then," Hakudoushi ordered, grabbing the Higurashi girl by the hand. He easily shifted his appendage enough that he was holding Kagome's hand tightly in his own, and he smirked when he noticed the way the Uchiha's dark glare became darker. That was his game, was it?

"Eh?" Kagome blinked, while Hakudoushi pulled her forward. "Hakudoushi!"

"Yes, yes,  _yes_!" Shippo shouted. He quickly snatched another box of pocky off the table, waving a little to the silent Kanna, before he raced to beat the older children outside.

Rin followed at a slower pace, taking nervous glances at the Uchiha boy standing nearby.

Sasuke glared holes into the back of Hakudoushi's head, mentally trying to sever the connection the other boy had made with Kagome's hand. The boy ignored him, though, and the Uchiha boy felt anger swell heavily in his chest. How  _dare_  Hakudoushi touch Kagome with such familiarity? How  _dare_  he act possessive over something that was  _clearly_  never going to be his? How  _dare_  he try to take Higurashi Kagome's heart from him?!!?

Glancing over his shoulder, Hakudoushi cast another smirk in the Uchiha's direction.

Sasuke growled from deep in his chest. That  _little bastard_!?

His fist clenching, Sasuke realized that it was going to be a  _long_  day. He really could not do anything about Hakudoushi—the  _bastard_ —because he needed to make sure the children at the Konoha Orphanage did not end up hating him. And pounding the eldest orphan into the ground  _might_  just make them hate him. He supposed one thing was on his side, though.

Higurashi Kagome, the oblivious girl, did not even seem to realize  _how_  possessive Hakudoushi's grip really was. That meant her heart was still his for the taking, and he planned to take it. Very,  _very_  soon if that little bastard did not get his hands off her!?!


	11. The Aftermath

The small creature stuck his head out from behind a tree, ears drawn back, while bright green eyes stared intently into the girl's unaware back. A snicker left the small creature's snout, as a long, flavor-coated pocky stick bobbed up and down, up and down, between his fangs.

He was a very strange sight, he knew, but his goal was finally going to be achieved. He was finally going to have his victory, while the girl wept in despair, realizing that he was the better of the two. He was going to laugh in her face, declare his triumph in a loud display, and then race off into the forest in his devious disguise.

Yes, yes, just a little closer now. A little  _closer_!

Claws digging into the ground, the small creature tensed. The pocky stick became still. The girl was getting closer, just a little more and he would pounce. He wanted to snicker at his genius, but he did not, because he knew that there was a small chance that the girl would hear the sound and leave. He was  _not_  about to screw up his perfect chance, so he tensed completely, remaining very still, while the girl paused in step.

"I wonder," she muttered, then shook her head. "No, couldn't be."

Grinning, the small creature let the girl walk by him. He knew it was the only way he would finally have his victory. Any more distance between them and the girl would have too great a chance at fleeing. And there was no doubt in his mind that she would take it, since she  _always_  did.

Finally, rising up, he sprang from his hiding place when the girl's back was to him. A cloud of smoke surrounded his form, changing him in that instant, as a cry of victory left his mouth. " _Hi-ya!_ "

His small hand slapped against the girl's back, while his bright green eyes glittered with glee. He had done it! He was victorious! Higurashi Kagome had  _nothing_  on him! Especially now, since the mocking girl could no longer say—

Shippo was taken by surprise, however, when the small blast of smoke and leaves hit him directly in the face. He was thrown backwards, slamming hard into a tree, and his pocky stick slipped from between his lips as he gasped. It landed in the dirt, broken, while his body slipped to the ground.

A tremble shook along his lip, tears filling his eyes, as his brain processed what had just happened. Then, when it hit him, he threw his head back, crying out, " _No!_ "

Damn substitution!

"I told you, Shippo—!" Kagome's voice called out. Her mocking laughter soon followed from beyond the trees, pounding in the fact that the small orphan had once again missed his chance to pass along the title of 'it'. "—You'll  _never_  tag me!"

Jumping to his feet, the boy huffed and yelled back, "You just wait! I  _will_  beat you!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Uh huh!" Shippo growled.

The kunoichi-in-training did not reply a third time.

Stomping his foot, the boy reached up and wiped away a thin trail of blood from the cut on his face. Then, angrily, he reached into his pocket, pulled forth his box of pocky, and quickly shoved another stick into his mouth after he tore the box open. It helped very little with his sudden wave of depression, but his determination returned with a vengeance the moment the sugar touched his tongue.

He would tag Higurashi Kagome if it was the last thing he did!?!

Giving himself a moment to compose himself, Shippo growled deep in his chest. He had been 'it' for quite some time, trying again and again to successfully tag Kagome, and he was getting tired of the position. He needed a new tactic—something bold and new!—that would outwit and outmaneuver Kagome in order to tag her. He knew that now, having failed at his goal six times in a row, so it was time for Plan B.

Plan B  _never_  failed!

Turning on his heel, Shippo began to race back through the thick foliage toward the Konoha Orphanage. Chakra swiftly pumped through his body, stabilizing his footing and allowing him to run at a smooth pace, but the journey soon began to annoy him. So, his pocky stick tilting up toward the sky, Shippo brought his hands up across his chest in a hand seal. "Transform!"

A cloud of smoke instantly extended away from his body, the transformation taking only a few seconds to complete. Then, delight pulsing through his body, he lunged away from the smoke as a tall, handsome, red haired teenager with strikingly beautiful green eyes. His long legs, muscles flexing and pumped full of chakra, easily sprang across the distance in less than half the time it would have taken him before.

A grin crossed Shippo's mouth. He knew his transformation was perfect, unmatched. And he utilized his ability to change his form at every opportunity, pleased with the fact that no one else his age could possibly control the technique as well he did. Especially when he constantly created new and wonderful forms to transform into, wishing only to find another form to throw in the faces of those attending the Academy.

Plan B—find Rin, tag her, and race away to find the perfect way to tag Kagome—quickly turned in his favor the moment he neared the house. Rin was exactly where he knew she would be. She  _actually_  thought the small tree would hide her. But, his eyes flashing in memory, he also knew that she had a very good reason as to why she never wanted to leave the safety of the leaning structure.

After all, any sane person would not want to enter a forest when their parents had been attacked and killed by Iwa-nin summons just beyond the border. And right before their eyes.

* * *

Shifting nervously from one foot to the other, Rin tried to survey every piece of forest that she could see. A knot formed in her throat as she did so, her eyes widening, as the wind blew softly across her ears.

It was  _so_  dark out there. So hauntingly beautiful, as if it could any individual into a trance with a single glance. But, worst of all, it was  _exactly_  like the night that had ripped away her little family. It was dark, beautiful, and filled with peace, but she knew that in one moment it could turn cruel, bloody, and tear away her world again.

Sinking further into the sanctuary of her tree, Rin eyed the forest warily. She was  _not_  going in there. She was not even sure why she had agreed to play shinobi-tag so many times over, since she refused time and again to go into the forest. She refused. She did not care if it gave her a better chance at winning; she was  _not_  going in there.

That was that.

Biting her lip, Rin squeaked when a creak caressed her ears. "Kagome-nee?" she called quietly, hoping the older girl had been the cause of the noise. She normally was, trying to coax her into playing, and she never scared her. Unlike Shippo, who  _always_  scared her, the  _jerk_!

There was no reply, only the loud creaking from the forest.

" _Kagome-nee?_ " Rin called again, nearly whispering.

She wanted it to be the older girl. Higurashi Kagome  _was_  her elder sister. She  _was_. She would never try to hurt her, scare her, or drag her into the one place she never wanted to go again. She would merely smile sweetly, give her cookies, and tell her that everything would be all right. She would let her get away with 'tag backs', not wanting to force her, and then trot off with the same sweet smile on her face.

However, the forest merely creaked again.

Backing away from the tree she had hid behind, Rin whimpered, " _Kagome-nee_." Memories were already beginning to fill her head. Things she would rather leave forgotten terrorized her, haunted her, and bombarded her all at once. And she whined, gripping her head, as she shouted, " _Stop it, Kagome-nee! You're scaring Rin!_ "

Softly, a cackle blew across her ear from behind. "Kagome's not here."

Screaming, Rin swung around and struck the person across the face. Her heart was racing madly, her pupils dilated, and she was rather surprised when a cloud of smoke surrounded her. " _W-_ what?" she muttered.

" _OW!_ " the boy yelled. "That hurt, Rin!"

Blinking, anger suddenly swarmed through Rin's body. " _SHIPPO!_ " she shrieked. "You  _jerk_!"

The foliage along the forest rumbled a bit, before Uchiha Sasuke stepped out to see what the commotion was about. The air had been tainted with fright, alerting his senses, and he had thought for a moment someone might be in danger. But, as he watched the small orphan yell at the even smaller boy, he realized that the girl had merely been frightened.

" _Rin was scared half to death!_ " Rin raged. " _Rin can't believe you!_ "

"Hey—!" Shippo yelled, dodging a blow to the head. "Hey! Knock it off!"

" _How dare you!?!_ " Rin continued. It was clear that Higurashi Kagome's famous temper had somehow rubbed off on her somehow.

" _Look—_!" Shippo finally screamed. " _You're it!_ "

" _Nuh uh!_ " Rin shrieked.

Punching her in the arm, Shippo hissed, "Uh huh!" And then he raced back into the forest, nursing his swollen cheek along the way. He had not been trying to scare her—well, maybe a _little_ —so she did not need to freak out on him.

Pumped full of anger, Rin raced after him. However, fright gripped her heart the moment she realized what she was about to do, and she stopped immediately. Her foot barely touched the darkness of the forest, feeling it call out to her, and her eyes filled with tears as she looked beyond the trees.

She could clearly see the bark being splashed with the blood of her kin so clearly, while those evil,  _evil_  wolves waited patiently for her to jump into their massive, drooling jaws. She could see the lifeless eyes staring up at her from beneath those evil,  _evil_  wolves, begging her, pleading, asking her to help them, but she could not. She knew she could not,  _ever_ , even while those hauntingly familiar eyes pleaded for her to do something,  _anything_.

She  _could_  not. She was  _not_  strong enough. She knew that, so why did they continue to ask her to help them when they were  _dead_?

Stumbling back, Rin shook her head frantically, trying to dislodge the memory.

"Hey." A hand bumped against her arm.

Jumping, Rin turned her frightened eyes to the Uchiha standing next to her. She gulped suddenly, the memory of her dying family bringing forth more violence, as she wondered if the Uchiha boy was going to hit her. Hit her like all those mean, stupid kids that Hakudoushi got rid of. Call her worthless. Remind her a second time that she would  _never_  be strong enough to save the lives of her family members from the vicious jaws of those evil wolves.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked. She did not look well.

Slowly, Rin shook her head. " _No_ ," she whimpered.

Frowning, Sasuke put his hand out toward the young girl. "Here, you can—" he began.

"This is such a foolish game."

Reaching up to rub at her eyes, the young girl turned her head a bit. "Kanna," she called to the white girl. She knew Kanna would understand, even if she wanted Kagome so much at the moment.

Kanna's black eyes merely blinked at the two of them, while she stared the small girl down. Then, slowly, she finally reached up and wiped away the thin trial of juice that had cascaded down from her lip. Her movement was natural, fluid, yet there was a complete lack of passion within her action. "This game does nothing for a person," Kanna continued, "except, perhaps, hone a certain set of skills."

Rin rubbed at her eyes again, saying, "Rin was so scared, Kanna."

Sighing softly, Kanna nodded, saying, "I am aware."

Coughing, Sasuke caught the attention of the two girls again. He was certain that there was a reason for the girl's fright, and he was not about to make her go into the forest if she did not want to. So, he jerked his arm, making sure the young girl saw it, before stating, "Tag me."

"W-what?" Rin blinked in surprise.

"Tag me, then you won't be 'it' anymore," Sasuke replied.

"I don't think—" Rin was able to finish, though, before the Uchiha had grabbed a hold of her arm. She almost jerked away from his hold, but he merely tapped her fingertips lighting against his wrist and then released her.

"There," Sasuke nodded. "I'm 'it' now."

"B- _but_ —" Rin started, but the boy was already streaking into the forest, "—you can't do that."

Kanna's hand landed gently on her shoulder, as she said, "Come, Rin."

Biting her lip softly, Rin nodded. "Ok."

* * *

Quietly, the girl stalked along the ground, turning her head every few seconds to check her surroundings. Then, slowly, she smirked, straightening her back. "I lost them!" she said triumphantly.

" _Really?_ "

" _Holy sh_ —!" the girl began, turning on her heel. "Hakudoushi!"

The boy chuckled, amused with the red tint coloring the girl's cheeks, as he nodded.

"Don't sneak up on me like that," Kagome hissed.

"The point of this game is to—" she did not allow him to finish.

"Yeah, well," she huffed, "you could have given me a heart attack."

"I doubt it," Hakudoushi replied. "Besides, you should be aware of your surroundings at all times. Especially when there are enemy shinobi in the area."

"First off, mister," the Higurashi girl growled, "I  _am_  aware of my surroundings. And second, you're not  _exactly_ —"

He smirked.

Narrowing her eyes, she huffed in his face again. "Fine," she said. "Be that way. See if I play with you again in the future!"

Hakudoushi leaned against the tree at his back, watching her stomp away. Before she could leap into the branches, though, he called out to her. "You know, I could be 'it'," he said.

Smirking, she laughed. "If you're 'it', come and get me!"

"No, I don't think I will—Kagome!" Hakudoushi shouted, his eyes widening as Kagome leapt away from him. He had seen the other boy hiding in the foliage a second too late, though, as Uchiha Sasuke's arms wrapped his arms around Higurashi Kagome's waist and sprang deep into the forest with her squealing in his grasp.

* * *

"Hey!" Kagome shouted. " _Hey!_ "

Slowly, Sasuke came to a stop.

Struggling, Kagome swung her fists through the air. "Put me down! Put me down right this instant, Uchiha Sasuke!?!"

The Uchiha shrugged, deciding it was still best  _not_  to let her in on his little secret, before he dropped her onto the ground. However, he was a little surprised when she did not manage to catch herself and landed hard on her butt. Then  _again_ , he supposed he should not be surprised at all, since she  _had_  been more preoccupied with getting herself free.

"You didn't have to drop me!?!" she huffed. Seriously! There was  _absolutely no_  reason for him to have grabbed her around the waist and shot off into the forest with her! What was his problem?! Was he trying to—she stopped the thought before it even began, not wanting to think that the Uchiha might be a pervert.

After all, she had already thought that about his father. And if his father was  _indeed_  a pervert, there was a  _very_  likely chance that  _every_  male from Fugaku's bloodline would be a pervert. Which, since she thought about it, was rather hilarious. Who else would have ever guessed that Uchiha Fugaku, Sasuke,  _and_  Itachi might all be perverts?

But,  _really_ , it could not be true. Not from the Uchiha clan!

"What are you staring at?" Sasuke asked. He barely controlled the red tint trying to cover his face, as he noticed that Kagome's blue gaze was staring intently into his own after she calmed down a moment.

"Nothing," she mumbled. What did he think she was staring at? "What are  _you_  staring at?"

"Nothing," he replied, turning his head away. Damn girl. She just  _had_  to make that insistent twisting in his stomach return. She just  _had_  to make the color rise in his face. She just  _had_ to be so damn cute while she pouted lightly at a nearby tree.

"Well, good," Kagome nodded. Then, slowly, she reached out her hand. "Help me up, will you?"

"Sure," he said. Grasping her hand, Sasuke easily pulled the girl to her feet. He then watched as she brushed away the dirt on her clothing, turning his head away swiftly, while his mind supplied him with more than a few inappropriate images. "By the way," he smirked, "you're 'it'."

Kagome stopped abruptly, stiffening. "What did you just say?" she asked, her voice tight.

"You're ' _it_ '," Sasuke said.

" _WHAT!?!_ " she screamed.

Higurashi Kagome was not given the chance to yell at the Uchiha boy, though, as he bound away into the forest once more. And he surprised her a little, his hand brushing up against her neck and flipping her hair back, since she could not tag him back in return. It was not the fact that he touched her that surprised her, but the fact that he did so willingly, without hesitation, and almost as if he were mocking her silently.

But, she could not resist the chance to yell after learning her winning streak had been completely and utterly destroyed. "Uchiha Sasuke!" she shouted. " _Get back here!?!_ "

A nearby flock of birds rose up from the trees at the noise, mocking her further.

Tensing to follow after him, Kagome was surprised again when a strong hand grabbed onto her arm. She turned, grinning madly, as her bright, dark blue eyes trapped Hakudoushi in her gaze. "Hakudoushi!"

" _U_ —" Hakudoushi began in surprise.

"I'm  _so_  glad you're here!" Kagome grinned. Yes! Her streak was back on!

Hakudoushi blinked, as the girl slapped him in the arm.

"You're 'it'!" she cried, before racing into the forest.

Hakudoushi frowned. Of course he was.

* * *

"That was so much fun!" Kagome grinned.

The youngest orphan merely huffed, crossing his arms in defeat.

"Oh," Kagome smiled. "You'll get me next time, Shippo. Don't worry."

"That's what you  _always_  say," Shippo growled. "And it  _still_  hasn't happened yet!"

"You still need to focus on your training," Hakudoushi cut in. "I'll make sure to increase the kunai and shuriken training to help you with your speed a little more."

Slowly, Shippo's head hung in utter defeat. Hakudoushi already pushed him to the limit most of the time; he did not want  _more_  training. Yes, he wanted to wait to enter the Academy and rise through the ranks much like the older boy had,  _but_  he preferred to lay around and dream of more wonderful transformations that he could one day achieve.

Softly, from another corner, Kanna called, "Your mother will be expecting you soon, Kagome."

"I know," Kagome nodded in agreement. She was also pretty sure that Sasuke's mother would be worrying about him eventually, so they would need to be going soon. Though, really, it would not surprise her if the Uchiha boy wanted to high tail it out of there after spending so much time with them.

"Kagome-nee has to go home?" the other girl pouted.

Patting Rin on the head, Kagome said, "But I'll be back next week!"

The young girl poked the floor with her sandal, while her hands twisted together behind her back. She wanted to cling to Kagome, ask her not to go, but she knew that the Higurashi girl was needed elsewhere. And she was not selfish enough to keep her from her own family. "Rin will miss Kagome-nee, and—"

"— _and_  you'll bring me more pocky, right, Kagome!?!" Shippo shouted. He stiffened only a little when the young girl turned to glare at him, her brown eyes blazing, and knew that he would need to hide every box of pocky he had obtained through the kunoichi-in-training.

"That's rude, Shippo," Kagome scowled. "How many times must I tell you not to interrupt someone when they're talking?"

Hanging his head again, Shippo muttered, "I'm sorry."

The white haired boy chuckled, saying, "Extra training is definitely in order."

Quietly, Shippo whined in his throat. Why had his mouth opened, the stupid thing? Why had it betrayed him,  _again_?!

Finally, Rin continued, "—and  _Rin_  hopes that Kagome-nee will bring cookies and—" She paused, her bright eyes turning toward the floor, "—and maybe Uchiha-san will come with Kagome-nee again."

Kagome's head snapped to the shy girl in surprise, before sliding over to the silent Uchiha standing nearby. That was  _not_  what she had expected to hear from Rin.  _Ever_. So, slowly, she asked, "Rin, do you—do you want Sasuke to come over again?"

A scowl worked its way onto Hakudoushi's face. This would  _not_  do. He did not want that Uchiha brat inside the Konoha Orphanage all the time in an effort to gain Kagome's attention. And he especially did not want to have to pretend that he could act civil toward him while she was there. Once had been  _far_  too much already.

"Well—" Rin blushed, poking the floor with her sandal a little harder, "—Uchiha-san made it so that Rin did not have to go into the forest after Shippo tagged her. And that was really nice of Uchiha-san, so he cannot be like all those—"

When Rin stopped, the Higurashi girl smiled a little more. "I understand, Rin," she said. "And I'm sure that Sasuke would be willing to come with me again if you asked him politely."

Rin shook her head quickly. She had only been confronted with the emotion in her chest once before, when Hakudoushi saved her, and realized that she looked up to him like he was her big brother. But, Hakudoushi  _was_  her big brother. Uchiha Sasuke was  _not_. So, she really did not want to ask him to do anything, since there was a good chance he did not want to act as her brother and would smear her hopes into the ground.

" _Whatever_ ," Uchiha Sasuke stated. It did not matter to him. Truthfully, it benefited him, since it gave him more reason to defy that arrogant Hakudoushi and follow the object of his affection to the Konoha Orphanage. And, in turn, that would help him in the end, since he planned on having Kagome's heart securely wrapped around his fingertips before the blasted boy could do anything about it.

"See?" Kagome said, noticing the way Rin brightened. It was not every day that the girl opened up, and though she was surprised that it was with Sasuke, she was happy for her. Rin needed more people to lean on.

"Hakudoushi?" Kanna's quiet voice called through the sudden silence.

Hakudoushi turned to his sibling, asking, "What?" He had been perfectly fine watching, calculating, and delighting in the idea of the Uchiha's defeat. But, of course, Kanna had to find something to interrupt his thoughts with.

"We will need to restock soon, since we did not manage to go to the market today," the white girl replied.

"I'll go tomorrow," Hakudoushi told her.

"And, Hakudoushi?" Kanna continued. She reached up, her movement more instinctive than anything else, to brush a strand of hair away from her ear.

" _What?_ " he growled.

"There are ANBU waiting outside," Kanna said, her voice low.

"Eh?" the Higurashi girl blinked. "ANBU outside?"

"Yes." Kanna nodded slowly, her blank eyes turning to the other girl. "Hakudoushi was given the day off, and from what the silence has told me, they are waiting for the young prodigy to notice them. It leads me to believe that Hokage-sama has sent them."

Hakudoushi scowled. He had sensed the ANBU far off, but he had not realized that they had arrived already. No doubt waiting for him to come to them, since it should be rather obvious that they had come to collect him. The Hokage had said he would be calling upon him and the rest of his team once the day was nearly over, after all. So, he nodded, stating, "Very well. Thank you, Kanna."

Kanna dipped her head in return.

"I'll see you later," Hakudoushi sighed, "Kagome—" he took a glance at the smiling girl, before adding, " _Uchiha_."

The Uchiha boy turned his head away, dismissing the acknowledgement. "Tch," he muttered, though he knew that the situation could turn in his favor. Now, since the white haired boy was no doubt going to be sent on a mission, he would only need to watch out for the Hyuuga. And it would be easy for him to snatch up Higurashi Kagome's heart with only the Hyuuga trying to steal it from him.

Kagome was much too oblivious for Hyuuga Neji, and, like Naruto said, he  _was_  the only one making an effort to actually get to know her and what she liked. The Hyuuga simply believed she would fall into his lap if he worshipped her, when he needed to focus more on her personality and what she liked. And, as much as he hated to admit it, he had that stupid blonde to thank for drilling that into his head.

"Of course!" Kagome nodded, and then Hakudoushi was off.

Rin frowned deeply. "You do not really have to go, do you, Kagome-nee?"

Shippo rolled his eyes, saying, "Of course she has to go, Rin! Just because you're a 'fraidy cat doesn't mean she's going to stay here while Hakudoushi's on a mission."

"Rin is not a 'fraidy cat!" Rin cried.

"Yes,  _she is_!" Shippo cried back.

"No!" Rin growled. "Rin is not!"

"Oh, guys, not—" This time, they did not listen to Kagome as she tried to break them a part.

"Is so!"

Rin's eyes blazed suddenly, as she screeched, "Shut up, Shippo! Rin will—Rin will pull on your tail when you transform next time, and Rin won't stop! Rin will make sure—"

" _Hold it!_ " Kagome yelled. " _Hold it!_ "

Rin deflated slightly, while Shippo shrank back from the girl.

"Shippo, be nice." Kagome growled, her eyebrow twitching slightly. When she noticed Rin's grin, though, she continued, "And, Rin, you will  _not_  pull on Shippo's tail while he is in fox form, do you understand?"

"But, Kagome-nee!" Rin whined.

"No," Kagome snapped, her blue eyes becoming hard.

Knowing that the older girl would not be pleased if Shippo told her later that she  _had_  pulled on his tail while in fox form, despite her warning, Rin began to dig the tip of her sandal into the floor again. "Yes, Kagome-nee," she said softly. "Rin won't pull on Shippo's tail."

"Shippo?" Kagome encouraged the boy.

Crossing his arms in defeat, Shippo muttered, "And I'll be  _nice_."

"Good!" Kagome smiled. "Now, I have to go, but I'll see you guys again next week. I'll make sure to bring lots of cookies and pocky, too, while I'm at it, and maybe Sasuke if he wants to come with me!"

Meekly, Rin nodded in acceptable. Then, afterward, Shippo followed suit with a small nod of his own.

Kanna merely stood quietly. She knew that the girl would return. There was no reason for her to think otherwise. "We will await your return, Kagome," she said slowly.

Kagome turned her smile onto Kanna, saying, "Yes, and maybe next time you'll be willing to play with us, Kanna."

"Perhaps," Kanna breathed. Through her voice alone, though, it was very clear that she would  _not_  be playing any time soon. She merely chose to appease the Higurashi girl by briefly thinking upon the subject.

"Well, then we'll be off," Kagome said. "Come on, Sasuke."

Lifting himself away from the wall, the Uchiha silently followed behind the object of his affection as they left the Konoha Orphanage.

* * *

"— _So_ ," Kagome sighed, nearly dragging her feet along the ground as she tried to find a way to entertain herself, "did you  _really_  make it so Rin did not have to enter the forest, Sasuke?"

Biting his tongue at the sudden sound of her voice, Sasuke nodded. After a moment, he eased up on his tongue and said, "I noticed that she stopped at the edge and started to shake, so I made her tag me. I figured that she really shouldn't be playing the game anyway, if she can't even bring herself to enter the tree line."

"Yeah," Kagome frowned lightly.

"Why is it she can't?" Sasuke questioned. "Or do you even know why?"

"Rin's family was killed in a forest just like that one. She hid like her mother told her to until Konoha-nin came to help, but by then she had already watched them be ripped a part by Iwa-nin summons." Kagome glanced up at the darkening sky, taking in the brief glimpses of stars and soaking up the light from the moon. "I think, if I remember correctly, the Iwa-nin summoned wolves."

" _Oh_ ," Sasuke replied softly.

"It's so sad," Kagome continued. "And then they have to live in a place like that…"

Uchiha Sasuke merely nodded, taking in the sight of Higurashi Kagome as she stopped in the middle of the street. The faint moonlight caressed her body, making her appear eternal, but Sasuke was not surprised. Only someone with Kagome's heart could  _ever_  appear so beautiful while bathed in moonlight. And, gulping, Sasuke was forced to bite down on his tongue for a second time while his stomach tightened.

If only she would see how much he wanted her.

She turned her smile upon him once more, her eyes suddenly shiningly brightly within the darkening atmosphere. The Uchiha gulped loudly, hoping she did not hear it, as her voice caressed his ears again. "I'm really glad decided to stay, Sasuke," she said, and his stomach clenched tightly as the words processed in his head.

Unable to help himself, his automatic response was, " _Whatever_."

Kagome's smile faded just a bit.

"I mean," he corrected himself. Damn it, he had thought he was  _over_  that. "It's not like I really did anything."

"But you helped Rin!" she defended.

" _Well,_  yeah, bu—"

Her blinding grin halted his sentence, before she spoke again. Softly, she stated, "I still think it was  _really_  sweet. Not many would have noticed Rin's problem, and a lot of others would have simply shrugged and went the other way. But you didn't. You helped her. Thank you, Sasuke."

Turning his gaze toward the ground, he replied, " _You're welcome_."

Folding her hands together behind her back, Kagome leaned toward the Uchiha boy. She noticed that he leaned away, her sharp eyes taking in the movement, and she wondered for a moment why he would do so. But, she decided it was best not to think about it, as she thought over her next idea. "So, uh," she blushed a bit, "I noticed that you're still having a bit of trouble with taijutsu in class. Has training with your brother not helped?"

Stiffening, Sasuke scowled. "Itachi had—" damn it, his brother was  _not_  going to gain the interest of the girl he wanted! "—a  _mission_  that he needed to go on. I told him not to waste his time, since he needed to prepare for it."

"Oh," she nodded. "I see."

"Why do you want to know?" Sasuke asked. His thoughts darkened considerably, his eyes hardening, and he was determined in that moment to keep Higurashi Kagome as far away from his brother as humanly possible. Itachi did  _not_  deserve her affection. He did not even deserve to have her look upon him. Not when he had  _dozens_  of other girls that would willingly fall at his feet if he only  _asked_  for it.

"Well," the color in her face deepened a little, "I thought that,  _maybe_ , I could try to help you again."

The boy blinked in surprise, his eyes softening within seconds. Higurashi Kagome  _wanted_  to help him? How could he say no? How could he give up the opportunity to make her notice him in some small way?

"I mean—" she paused, "—It's not like I—" again, "—You see—" and again, "— _Um_ —" and  _again_. "—What I meant was—"

A hint of a smile appeared on Sasuke's face, while he watched her stutter. It was  _extremely_  cute. It caused a mass of butterflies to erupt in his stomach, though, because he realized after a moment that she was stuttering  _because_  of him. She was stuttering trying to speak with  _him_. Higurashi Kagome was—!

The Uchiha boy did not allow the thought to continue. Kagome was not his  _yet_. But soon. Oh  _so_  soon.

"— _as_  payment for what you did for Rin," she finally managed to finish.

Realizing that he had not heard most of what she said, Sasuke blinked. Then, slowly, he said, "I'd like that."

Brightening up, she asked, "After the Academy gets out then?"

He nodded, saying, "Sure."

Higurashi Kagome smiled as brightly as she could. She was happy that she could help him, since he had done such a wonderful thing for Rin. He deserved to have her help him, and she was glad that he was willing to let her, someone outside the Uchiha clan, help him. "Ok!" she grinned. "I'll meet you outside afterward!"

He nodded, again, choosing silence.

"Have a safe trip home, Sasuke," she said, rushing off quite suddenly.

Sasuke watched her go, his eyes taking in each step that the Higurashi girl took. Then, allowing a small smirk to cross his face, he turned away from the sight and began to head home. He walked slowly, his hands finding their way into his pockets, while his thoughts drifted toward the future.

Soon—he was  _positive_  now—he would have Higurashi Kagome's heart in the palm of his hand.


	12. Crash Course, Part I

"— _Seriously_ , were you thinking at  _all_?"

Scowling, the Uchiha boy cast his dark eyes in the direction of the blonde following him to the Academy. He had been rather pleased with his pervious plan, but he did  _not_  wish to deal with him so early in the morning  _every day_. So, lengthening his stride, he stated, "She's perfectly capable of walking home by herself."

Nearly slapping his face with his hand, Naruto scowled back at the Uchiha. "That's entirely not the point!" he exclaimed. "You're  _supposed_  to walk a girl home after you spend the day with her! It's—it's—it's  _the rules_!?!"

Pausing in step, Sasuke turned his head in Naruto's direction. Then, slowly, he replied, "We weren't on a date,  _dobe_."

Rolling his eyes, Naruto growled, "Not in  _her_  eyes, but  _technically_ , you  _were_  on a date. And since you  _were_  on a date, you  _should_  have offered to walk her home, not let her run off and possibly get hurt. I mean, who knows what's out there! The village might be safe  _now_ , but what if some rogue shinobi had infiltrated the area earlier that day and was just waiting to pick off some innocent girl?! Kagome could have been seriously hurt, or kidnapped, or  _worse_ , and it would have been all your fault!?!!"

"But she didn't—" Sasuke started.

" _But_ , if she  _had_ ," Naruto pressed on, "it  _would_  have been all your fault! How would you feel then, Uchiha Sasuke?!?"

"She's  _fine_ ," Sasuke reiterated, before continuing on his trek toward the Academy. There was no point in the argument, since Higurashi Kagome was very capable. She  _would_  have been able to fend off an enemy shinobi, and even if she was at a disadvantage, he was positive she could have done so until someone arrived to assist her.

After all, he would have rushed to her aid if he had heard a disturbance in the area.

Blinking, Naruto shook his head. He said, "People are  _never_  going to want to ask for your squad's assistance once we become genin, I swear."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sasuke asked, his voice tight.

"Isn't it obvious?" Naruto grinned. "You  _willingly_  let the one girl, that you claim to like  _so_  much, walk home in the dark by  _herself_. You did not even  _ask_  if she'd like you to take her there. People are going to look back on this day and whisper about how Uchiha Sasuke, the boy who loves Higurashi Kagome, let her walk home  _by herself_! They're going to realize that that's the type of dedication you show for the things you love the most, and wonder how you treat the things you're supposed to protect! And then,  _oh then_ , they'll decide to ask for another squad, not wishing to put their lives in your hands!"

The dark haired boy walked a little faster.

"They'll shun you, the  _great_  and  _awesome_  Uchiha Sasuke!" Naruto began to rant. "And you'll cry,  _oh_  how you'll cry, because—"

" _Shut up already, dobe!_ " Sasuke snapped, his eyebrow twitching in annoyance. The blonde's voice was  _far_  too high, and it was only going to be a matter of time before someone heard him and actually listened to what he had to say. And  _then_  the fact—the single fact he wished to keep to himself until the time was right—that he wanted Higurashi Kagome as his own would spread like wild fire.

" _Bu—!_ " Naruto mocked.

" _Shut up!?_ " Sasuke snarled. He was  _not_  willing to risk his chance at Kagome's heart. He would  _not_  lose her because of some idiot that could not keep his mouth shut! He would  _not_ lose her because Naruto had to mock him! He would  _not_  lose her because Naruto could not understand how much he needed her!

Startled by the venom in Sasuke's voice, Naruto blinked rapidly.

" _I thought we agreed to keep that between_ us _?_ " Sasuke continued.

"Geeze, Sasuke-teme, I was only joking," Naruto huffed. He turned in a half-circle, waving his hands toward the quiet homes lined alongside the street. "Besides,  _no one is out here!_ "

"That doesn't mean there  _aren't_  people listening!" Sasuke replied.

"She's going to find out sooner or later!" Naruto snorted. "It's not like you can hide it fo—"

"—But,  _not_  now," Sasuke hissed. Once he was sure his point was drilled into the blonde shinobi-in-training's head, he continued on his way. Having to put up with him daily was becoming increasingly difficult, but he was positive he could do it. He could, because Kagome's heart was on the line and Naruto was currently the only path he had toward his goal.

"…You didn't have to bite my head off," Naruto frowned.

Uchiha Sasuke ignored him, shoving his hands into his pockets, while he blocked out the world and continued on his way. After he did so, he did not notice Naruto's constant muttering, the cry of some fan girls waiting outside the Academy, or the greeting that came from Iruka-sensei when his body automatically led him into the classroom. He only recognized that his mood was dampened and only the sight of Higurashi Kagome's smile could possibly liven the day once more.

And it was that idiot's entire fault.

* * *

Lightly, Naruto nudged his best friend's arm. "Hey," he whispered. " _Hey!_ "

"Naruto," she shook her head. "Iruka-sensei said we had some free time. You don't need to whisper."

"It fits the mood," Naruto continued.

"What mood?" she asked. Her voice lowered only a little bit, while she eyed the blonde shinobi-in-training sitting next to her. Something told her that she should whisper, despite the fact that it was unneeded while Iruka-sensei was out of the room.

Waving his hand through the air, he stated, " _This_  mood. All quiet and eerie, and almost as if there is something in the room that's just waiting to pounce on you."

Following the path of his hand, Higurashi Kagome found her eyes locking with a dozen different colored eyes. All of them belonged to the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club, and  _all_  of them were glaring heatedly toward her. So, under her breath, she muttered, "Huh? Weird that I didn't notice that before."

Bumping her again, the Uzumaki boy snorted. "Of course you didn't! You  _never_  do!"

"As if!" Kagome laughed. "You're the one that doesn't notice anything!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Uh huh!"

" _Nuh uh!_ " Naruto growled. An idea instantly hit him, and he continued before his friend could speak again. " _You!_  You're the one that refuses to acknowledge anything that goes on around you! I mean, really, how long are you going to pretend that Hyuuga Neji did  _not_  give you that pretty little cat charm?!?"

A snort came from the Hyuuga Neji Fan Girl sitting behind them.

Bringing her hand up in mockery, Kagome touched the tiny charm hanging from around her neck. She wore it to be polite, but she had come to appreciate the gesture and really liked the small nin-cat shape. " _No!?_ " she gasped. "Surely, you must be joking!?"

"W- _what!?_ " Naruto blinked, confused. Had Kagome just agreed with him? Had she  _just_  hinted that the charm  _had_  come from Hyuuga Neji? Because if she had, that would certainly explain why Uchiha Sasuke's onyx eyes were suddenly narrowed in his direction. Since it was rather obvious,  _now_ , that the Uchiha had clearly given Kagome the charm and did not take well to him continuously trying to make her believe it was from a Hyuuga clan member.

What else was he supposed to do?!

If he suggested that someone else had given it to her, she would think something was wrong. Sure, he  _had_  suggested for a small amount of time that Inuzuka Kiba might have given her the charm, but she would only laugh at him and call him stupid if he suggested it again. And if he  _suddenly_  changed his point of view, she would try to pry, and Naruto was not entirely sure how long he could keep himself from bursting into laughter each time he thought about how Uchiha Sasuke had fallen for  _his_  friend.

Besides, it made perfect sense that Neji, the boy that loved her  _so_  much, would give her such a thing!

"What's the matter?" Kagome asked, concerned.

"N- _noth_ — _Holy_ , you're agreeing with me!" Naruto gasped.

She snorted, before saying, "No."

Sasuke's glare ceased, but Naruto  _had_  to know. "But, you just—!"

"It's called sarcasm," she replied. "Because, if you remember correctly, I told you that there was simply  _no_  reason for Neji to give me this charm."

" _Actually_ ," Naruto scoffed, "you only said you doubted it."

She paused for a moment. "W- _whatever_. It's the same thing!"

"Uh,  _no_ , it's completely different!" the blonde exclaimed. "And, if  _you_  remember correctly, Hyuuga Neji is the same Hyuuga Neji that sent you—"

"Shut up,  _Nar-u-to!_ " she snapped. How many times!?!

Laughing nervously at the sudden glare upon his person, he said, "Oh,  _right_ , not supposed to talk about that." Afterward, he laughed a little more, trying to ignore the scolding glare that Kagome had settled on him. However, his nerves quickly wore thin and he gasped, "Please,  _please_ , Kagome!  _Don't make me pull anymore weeds!?!_ "

A small smirk appeared on her face. She said, "I'll think about it."

The Hyuuga Neji Fan Club member scoffed from her seat. Her honey colored eyes narrowed, as she flipped a lock of hair across her shoulder. "You're clearly worse than I first thought, Higurashi. What have you done to Naruto- _kun_  to make him fear  _weeds_ , of all things?"

"Not much," she snickered. Her dark blue eyes flashed with mischief, while she folded her hands on her desk. Then, nodding to herself, she drilled the words in by saying, "At least, nothing that could damage him completely."

" _Not much!_ " Naruto shouted. " _Not much!_  You're a—a—"

Mizuki blinked, while the girl before her mocked her friend lightly.

"A—a what,  _Nar-u-to_?" Higurashi Kagome asked.

Quietly, sliding in his seat, Naruto gulped, " _Nothing_." The look in the girl's eyes told him to think about what he said, and he chose silence to be the best option. After all, he did not wish to have Kagome suddenly turn tyrannical on him once more.

"Ugh," Mizuki shuddered. How this girl had  _ever_  attracted Neji's attention, she would  _never_  know! "You're wrapped around her little finger, Naruto- _kun_!"

Uzumaki Naruto merely laughed lightly, waiting for Iruka-sensei to return to the classroom. Though, he was debating on how to turn Kagome's attention toward the silent Uchiha before him. The other boy deserved a little of Kagome's  _love_ , after all. It was not fair for him to keep her attention completely on himself when she was in such a  _loving_  mood!

"Now," the Hyuuga Neji Fan Girl leaned forward on her desk, "why don't you come sit next to  _me_ , Naruto- _kun_? You can tell me all about how this terrible event came to be and you can—!" Truly, she only wished to find a way to make the Uzumaki boy tell her  _what_  Neji gave to Higurashi Kagome, but she was surprised when he cut her off.

"No," he shook his head. The look in Kagome's eyes told him everything he needed to know. "No, I'm  _fine_!"

" _We­l_ —" Mizuki huffed when he did not let her finish a second time.

" _Honest!_ " Naruto shouted.

The classroom door slammed open, Iruka-sensei's head coming into view while he scanned the room. "Naruto!" he yelled. "There is no reason to yell inside the classroom! So, keep it down before you disturb the one next door!"

Slamming his head onto his desk, Naruto muttered, "Yes, Iruka-sensei."

The Academy students turned to stare at the blonde Uzumaki in surprise, as Iruka-sensei straightened up in shock. They had  _never_  seen, nor thought of ever seeing, Uzumaki Naruto give into a command so easily. At least, not one from Iruka-sensei, despite how much time the boy spent trying to get the Academy teacher to buy him ramen. It was almost unreal, and they were positive they would have simply laughed and told a person to stop kidding around if they had not seen it for themselves.

Iruka blinked, before saying, " _Uh_ , well, all right then."

* * *

"H-hello, N-Neji," Hinata called.

The Hyuuga prodigy slid his eyes onto the Hyuuga heiress, dismissing her, before searching out for the single reason he agreed to Hiashi's demand to pick up Hinata while his genin squad was in the village. He had made a habit of it even, just to catch a small glimpse of the smiling Higurashi girl while she raced off with Uzumaki Naruto after the Academy each day. There was no telling what scheme Naruto might be planning to pull her into, but it was enough for him just to see her every now and then to know she had yet to acknowledge the affections of any boy.

She remained loyal to only Uzumaki Naruto, and for that he was glad.

Hinata shuffled her feet, turning her head down toward the ground as Neji's eyes scanned the area. "A-are you looking f-for K-Kagome?" she asked.

It was the same question as always, and, like always, Neji denied it. "No." There was a good chance that the information could get back to Hiashi, and though many knew the information already, he was determined to keep it from the Hyuuga Head as long as possible. At least then he would have more time to steer Higurashi Kagome's attention in his direction, and possibly enough time to find a way to defy the Hyuuga laws stating he could not marry her.

"O-oh," Hinata sighed in disappointment. She had hoped that maybe today Neji would open up to her, realize that she saw him as an equal, but it seemed that his view could not be changed. He would  _always_  think harshly of the main branch members, because her father was the reason his father was killed  _and_  they denied him the right to truly follow his heart.

But, she  _did_  hope that someday he would understand that. She did not care if he chose to follow Higurashi Kagome to the end of the world. She did not care if he wanted to marry someone outside the Hyuuga clan. She actually thought his devotion was rather sweet, and she believed that he should be able to do whatever he wanted to with his life.

Hyuuga law should not be able to tell him otherwise. But it could, and it  _did_ , and because of that, Hinata understood why Neji showed such contempt toward her.

Shuffling her feet a little more, Hinata finally asked, "U-um, don't y-you think we should be ge-getting home then, N-Neji?"

"Of course," he replied. Then, his voice tight, he added, "I will take you wherever you wish to go, Hinata-sama."

"Y-y-you don't n-need to d-do that!" Hinata stuttered. She  _hated_  it when he said that. She  _hated_  it when he acted like he was less of a person than she was. And she could only hope that someday she could change the view of the branch family. "W-we don't e-even need to go b-back to the Hyuuga compound if y-you don't w-want to yet!"

Turning on his heel, Neji completely ignored what she had said. He merely continued, saying, "Come, Hinata-sama. We do not want Hiashi-sama to wonder why you have yet to arrive, and—"

Blinking, Hinata turned her pale eyes onto her cousin. Softly, she called, "N-Neji?"

Neji's eyes narrowed, bulging along the veins, as the Byakugan came to life. His sharpened vision instantly took in everything around him, but his hard gaze remained locked on the sight before him. Then, not a second later, anger swelled in his chest.

Concerned, Hinata followed her cousin's line of sight and spotted what he had noticed. She blinked in surprise for a moment, the Byakugan forming in her eyes to confirm what she saw, before she bit her lip. "T-that's K-Kagome," she whispered, her heart aching for Neji when she realized who the Higurashi girl was walking next to.

" _That Uchiha brat_." The words spat from Neji's mouth so quietly that he was positive only he had heard them, despite Hinata's sudden closeness. And even if Hinata  _had_  been able to hear the words, he could not have stopped them from passing his lips.

That damn Uchiha! Who did he think he was?!

Yes, it  _was_  understandable that Higurashi Kagome would wish to help him. Neji  _had_  known that from the last time he had seen her, but to see them together,  _again_ , grated on his nerves to the point he was positive he could see red. Because it was clear to him from the Uchiha's relaxed stance that he was enjoying Kagome's company, he  _wanted_  her company, and that did not sit well with the Hyuuga boy  _at all_.

"A-are you alright, Neji?" Hinata asked.

His attention drawn to the girl standing beside him, Neji realized that he could  _not_  go racing after the Uchiha and the girl smiling at his side. He would have to deal with the sudden complication some other way. And he  _would_  deal with the problem, because his small amount of suspicion skyrocketed in that moment and raged underneath his skin.

"N-Neji?"

Later. Yes, later. And when he did, he would make sure that Uchiha Sasuke understood that he had set his sight on Higurashi Kagome first. He had been the first to touch her lips, to try and tell her he liked her, to stake his claim, therefore the Uchiha would back off or he would  _force_  him to. He  _would_  use violence to gain what he wanted, even if it meant defying the Hyuuga clan to make sure Higurashi Kagome did not turn her gaze upon another.

Hesitantly, Hinata allowed her hand to rest on Neji's arm. "N-Neji?" she called a third time. "I-I'm sorry."

Shrugging the hand away from him, Neji's Byakugan turned toward the Hyuuga heiress. His anger refused to die down, the Byakugan refused to budge from his eyes, and at that moment he could not control the venom in his voice. "Come now, Hinata- _sama_ , we have wasted enough time already."

Twisting her fingers together, Hinata flinched at his tone.

Neji ignored her, though, favoring the vision of the girl he had come to love walking beside someone from his rival clan. His stride lengthened at the mere thought, his eyes becoming slits, as his hand curled into a fist. He  _refused_  to let that Uchiha have what he wanted, and it was now  _very_  clear to him that that was  _exactly_  what Uchiha Sasuke wanted.

The damn Uchiha's stance had told him everything. He might even try to deny it, but the Byakugan saw all. There was nothing Uchiha Sasuke could hide from his eyes, especially when it came to the Higurashi girl he was determined to have as his own.

 _Nothing_.

Hinata followed him obediently, watching him as he tensed and relaxed over and over again. She wanted to comfort him, she did, but she knew he would not accept it. Neji would shove her away, and her heart ached a little more with the simple fact. He did not care that she cared for him, thought of him as more than just a Hyuuga branch member, and he would  _never_  accept her help when it came to Kagome.

As they walked, though, Neji's fist slowly uncurled as his mind processed the situation. His Byakugan remained in place, anger pulsing through his veins, but a single thought remained once it entered his mind.

Higurashi Kagome was the most oblivious girl in the world. The fact that Uchiha Sasuke wanted her was irrelevant, because there was simply  _no_  possible reason for her to acknowledge his feelings. She only acknowledged him, Neji, because he had asserted his claim and made it quite clear what he wanted from her. But, knowing the Uchiha, he would not think of such things. He would try to play with her, tug her in all directions to find a way in, and that would ultimately be the reason he  _never_  captured her heart.

The Uchiha boy was incapable of snatching up Higurashi Kagome's allusive heart. His heart might be driven, but his strategy and mind were not things that Kagome would notice. They were simply too complicated. Too demanding. Kagome would sooner turn her head away from such actions. She would not fall at an  _Uchiha's_  feet.

His stance relaxing, Neji realized that he had been too rash when he first saw Kagome walking beside the Uchiha. His mind had grasped a hold of what it wanted to: hatred for the Uchiha clan. But, truly, he knew, he should analyze the situation further. He should watch for any signs that might indicate Kagome was drifting in the direction of the Uchiha clan. If she  _was_ , he would act and beat the Uchiha into his grave for attempting to take such a precious item from him.

But,  _really_ , the idea was absurd!

His precious Kagome would  _never_  become attracted to someone from the arrogant Uchiha clan.

Quietly, Hinata sighed, tilting her head to the side. She had glimpsed Neji's fading Byakugan when his head turned just slightly, and she watched as he relaxed completely over a short span of time. It was not hard for her to put the pieces together, to come to the conclusion that he believed Kagome would never stray into an Uchiha's grasp and away from his own. It was not hard at all, but her heart twisted a little more for him, because she would only wish that that were true.

Neji deserved to be happy, and Hinata hoped beyond hope that her friend could see how much he needed her.

* * *

If Itachi were ever asked to describe his younger sibling, he would call him determined. Simply that, for Uchiha Sasuke pushed himself to escape the shadow that surrounded him at every turn. He constantly fought, failing miserably in many ways, to show the rest of the Uchiha clan that every child born from Uchiha Fugaku's seed could become great. He was pressed down, confined and unable to rise to the expectations laid out for him, yet still he pressed forward.

Sasuke's determination knew no bounds, though. For now, though it was very clear the girl was oblivious, he yearned for the attention of one Higurashi Kagome.

Itachi blinked from his perch, gazing upon the sight of his brother falling back and allowing the kunoichi-in-training to jab her fingers deep into his arm. There was no doubt the attack hurt, yet the boy  _allowed_  it. He purposely moved so the attack would hit, and Itachi knew it was so he could have just a moment where the dark haired Higurashi was touching him.

The elder Uchiha was not surprised at all. Sasuke's attention remained solely on the girl, watching intently and taking in everything that he could, and he had yet to even notice his presence. His sibling usually stiffened and went the other way when his chakra signal came into range, yet he was so infatuated with the Higurashi that he did not even realize he was there.

Uchiha Itachi doubted he would ever be able to understand just  _how_  Sasuke became so infatuated with the girl. She was  _so_  oblivious. She did  _nothing_ , yet his brother's attention was drawn to her. The mere fluttering of her hair seemed to cause color to rise in Sasuke's face, and that fact alone made a small smirk form along Itachi's lips.

The situation  _was_  slightly amusing.

Slowly, Itachi shook his head as Sasuke took another hit to the gut. The boy's plan was crude. He did not think, he merely did. And that, ultimately, would be the reason that he never gained the Higurashi girl's attention. Itachi could already see the signs—Kagome grabbed at Sasuke's leg when he attacked her—and he almost had it in him to feel sorry for the boy.

Sasuke, for as long as he could remember, had never gone to such lengths to achieve what he wanted. He  _never_  swallowed his pride, and he never wanted to. He would rather stab himself than admit he was wrong, yet there he was, defying everything that Itachi had ever known about him.

He  _was_  swallowing his pride.  _Willingly_. He  _was_  allowing the girl to come into contact with him. He  _was_  allowing the girl to take a hold of his heart and squeeze it between her fingers unknowingly. He  _was_  trying to make it so her dark blue eyes only gazed upon him with affection and love.

Itachi understood that the girl was different. She was unlike the arrogant Uchiha, with her modest nature, yet she still carried many Uchiha traits. She had a backbone. She had potential to grow and become something great in the future. She refused to back down when a challenge was brought to her, even knowing that the other person could easily slice her head from her shoulders.

He knew, though, that it was the Higurashi eyes that made her truly unique. She had clearly inherited the hauntingly beautiful Higurashi gaze, so dark and yet so bright, and containing the ability to spot even the tiniest detail without the need of doujutsu. That small detail was what probably drew Sasuke in originally, his Uchiha blood and pride demanding that he pay attention to such beauty, and then it developed from there.

Obviously too far for Sasuke to hide any longer, considering the way he allowed the girl to slam her fist into his face.

Allowing his Sharingan filled eyes to take in the scene once more, Itachi finally shook his head. Sasuke  _was_  determined. His blood most likely refused to have any one now that he had set his sight on Higurashi Kagome. And it was clear, from what Itachi had observed so far and knew about them both, that it would take quite some time before the girl even came to be attracted to anyone in the Uchiha clan.

For his brother's sake, though, Itachi  _did_  hope that the Higurashi girl did not remain oblivious to the blatant attraction being thrown in her face forever.

* * *

A grin spread across her face, as she pushed aside the foliage surrounding the Nakano River quietly. The sound of fighting had reached her ears some time ago and she wanted to swoon, because  _what if_  Sasuke and some other dark, handsome Uchiha were training out there? Or Sasuke  _and_  Itachi?!?

Oh, her day would be perfect if it  _was_  Sasuke and Itachi!

Not that she would  _ever_  admit that to the rest of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club. Her duty was to worship Sasuke. She was supposed to love  _only_  Sasuke. Yet, somehow, she had noticed just how deliciously handsome his elder brother was. Just how beautiful he would be if he managed to exhaust himself—sweat dripping from his brow—as his Sharingan eyes finally faded away to the onyx underneath.

The girl's heart began to beat faster, while she brought her hand up to her cheek to calm herself. Her smile refused to fade with the image, though, even when she told herself that Uchiha Sasuke was her one true love. He was the  _only_  boy that she would  _ever_  love, and, hopefully, someday he would love her in return.

But,  _oh_ , his brother—!?!

Excitement rushing through her veins, the fan girl pushed aside the last of the foliage. She  _really_ ,  _really_  wanted it to be Sasuke  _and_  Itachi. The very thought of it, while she closed her eyes to heighten the excitement, was already making her mouth drool  _and_ —

"You  _really_  need to work on your footing!"

Her eyes snapping open, the girl froze.

"—But, even so, we're going to have to stop for now. My mother will be expecting me soon. I hope you don't mind, Sasuke?"

That— _that_ —

The girl's mouth fell open, her eyes wide, while she watched.

"I understand," Uchiha Sasuke shrugged. "So, I won't keep you if you need to go."

Th _at_ — _that_  was—oh,  _no_!!

"I'm glad I could help. But remember, you need to work on your footing!"

That was  _not_  Uchiha Itachi.

"I'll keep that in mind," Sasuke replied.

That—that  _was_ —

The fan girl's thought process shut down once more, while she stared at the scene before her. She could not believe what she was watching. It was  _so_  wrong;  _so_  terrible;  _so disgusting_. And, after a moment, an angry beast rose inside of her when she realized  _she_  should be the one out there training with Sasuke. Not that— _that_ — _that_ —!

"I'll see you later then—!" the kunoichi-in-training said.

A growl spilled from the girl's chest. Who did she think she  _was_?!

"—Sasuke!"

Falling back into the foliage once more, the girl's anger began to dissipate when she realized Sasuke was only using the other girl. It made perfect sense! He could just be trying to learn her family's deadly lightning techniques, or at least familiarize himself with them so she would never be a threat in the future. There was no way he was—

Biting her lip, the girl pushed the foliage aside once more. That had to be it. It had to—but— _but_ , then why was Sasuke's gaze suddenly following her while she left? Why was he watching her leave as if he did not want her to go?!? Why would he even  _want_  to look upon that heartless, man stealing witch?!?

Hissing through her teeth, the fan girl stumbled away from her position. She could  _not_  believe it. She would  _not_  believe it! Yet, some part of her brain refused to let it go and she found herself turning on her heel to find the rest of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club.

They had to be informed right away!!

That—that  _Higurashi_  could not be trusted around Sasuke anymore!?!


	13. Crash Course, Part II

"I still believe that Leiko should be—!"

" _Oh_ , give it a rest, Mayu," Asuka stated, rolling her eyes. "Leiko doesn't  _want_  to president of the fan club. And, even if she  _did_ , there are strict rules that  _must_  be followed before the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club can change command."

Mayu huffed, gritting her teeth. She  _knew_  that, but the fact that Asuka threw it back in her face  _really_  rubbed her the wrong way. The other girl  _really_  needed to learn when to shut her mouth!

Asuka grinned in victory.

Finally, unable to keep it bottled up, Mayu growled, "I am  _well_  aware of the rules."

"Then why don't you follow them once in a while?" Asuka hissed.

"Why, you little—!?!"

" _Enough!_ " Ino snapped. "The purpose of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club is not for the members to fight amongst one another!"

Sakura nodded in agreement, saying, "Ino's right. The fan club was designed so that every one of us would have a fair and equal chance at Sasuke's heart. We're here for that single purpose! Not to fight, because that will—"

"Ugh, we  _get_  it already, Sakura," Mayu groaned. Could Sakura shut her mouth for just a  _second_? Because really, going on and  _on_  was  _not_  going to make them forget that she had a giant forehead. It only proved,  _again_ , why Leiko should be given the position of command.

Sakura bristled a little on the inside, while she turned her head away.

"We,  _also_ , allow other members to finish their sentence out of courtesy," Ino growled, her eyebrow twitching. The fan club just did  _not_  want to listen to her today, and she was an inch away from throwing her hands into the air, dismissing them, and rushing off to gather together the Uchiha Itachi Fan Club.

Mayu rolled her eyes, muttering, "Of course. How silly of me to have forgotten that  _little_  rule."

Asuka scowled, stating, "Sarcasm is  _also_  not wanted in the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Cl—"

"Oh,  _shut up_ , will you, Asuka?!" Mayu hissed.

"When  _you_  learn your place, maybe I will!" Asuka shrieked.

Groaning in despair, Ino slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand.

"Uh,  _girls_ —" Sakura began.

" _Shut up_ —"

Asuka and Mayu quieted, along with the rest of the fan club, while they shifted their eyes onto Uchiha Leiko.

"—You're acting like a bunch of little children," Leiko scoffed. "How do you  _ever_  expect Sasuke-kun to notice you, when you're constantly bickering amongst yourselves?"

"Thank you, Leiko," Ino whispered under her breath.

"Uchiha, as you should  _know_ ," the Uchiha girl continued, her tone harsh, "do not respect childish behavior. We do not purposely fight for those that will never grow up. We do not wish to even  _associate_  with those that continue to act younger than they actually are. So, if you wish to prove yourselves worthy of obtaining the Uchiha name, you will get your acts together this instant and stop this useless arguing."

"Leiko's right!" another fan girl piped up. "We're losing valuable time by fighting!"

The rest of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club quickly agreed. They  _were_  losing time by listening to Mayu and Asuka fight. Precious time, in fact, because they all knew that they could be spending it trying to capture Sasuke's attention, or at least devising a way in order to do so. And that single fact caused most of them to begin glaring at Mayu and Asuka.

"If I may—" the fan club turned to find the levelheaded Reina waving her hand through the air, "—I believe that we should now be concentrating on Sasuke-kun himself. After all, it _has_  been quite some time since he left for home and there's simply no telling  _who_  could be interacting with him at the moment."

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club bristled as one collective unit. They often banned together to make sure that those unworthy of Sasuke's attention did not try anything with him. And they  _often_  steered those with wandering eyes away from him. But, who was doing so while they debated amongst themselves? Who was protecting him? Who was making sure that only those within the fan club had a chance to capture his heart?

"That's a good point, Reina," Ino nodded. She was just happy that the fan club members were not fighting anymore. "We should be focusing our energy on creating a strict schedule for today's Uchiha Watch. I know for a fact that Emiko is currently watching over Sasuke-kun, but—"

"And why did you allow  _that_ , Ino?" Mayu asked. She had been asking for the opportunity to watch Sasuke's training session all week, yet Ino had refused to acknowledge the fact that she had it  _until_  the fan club banned together. So, why had she just given it to Emiko?

Ino sighed, knowing where Mayu's mind had wandered. " _Because_ ," she said, "Emiko asked me if she could do so during our last meeting. She only asked for today, and I agreed to let her watch  _today's_  training session."

Mayu huffed. That little twit did  _not_  deserve to—!

" _INO!_ " a voice shrieked from beyond the foliage. " _INO!_ "

Asuka blinked, asking, "Is it just me, or does that sound like Emiko?"

Mayu sneered in Asuka's direction. It was  _only_  obvious that it  _was_  Emiko,  _and_  that the girl had left her post. Really, how stupid could that girl get?! She should  _know_  that she was  _not_ supposed to leave Sasuke's shadow until someone else came to relieve her of her duty! It was  _not_  that hard!

"Ino, it's  _terrible_!" Emiko shouted the moment she stepped into sight. "We  _have_  to do something!"

"Has anyone ever noticed that  _everything_  is simply  _terrible_  in Emiko's opinion?" Mayu asked sweetly. Her voice dripped with sarcasm, while she watched the distressed girl rush into the middle of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club.

For a moment, Asuka agreed with her, nodding.

Emiko's eyes were wild, as she sprang forward and clasped a hold of Ino's clothing. "I'm  _serious_!" she hissed. "That— _that_ —oh, it was simply  _disgusting_  to look at, Ino! It  _was_!"

" _Uh_ —" Ino tried desperately to make Emiko release her, "—I think you should calm down, Emiko, and tell us what the problem is."

"Emiko, you shouldn't hang on people like that!" Sakura gapped. She knew that Emiko, most of the time, exaggerated when it came to mostly everything involving Sasuke, but the way she was acting was just ridiculous! She did not need to cling to Ino, nor did she need to yell as if the world was going to crumble beneath her feet in a moment.

"But— _but_ —!" Emiko gasped. Did they  _not_  understand how serious she was!?!

"Just calm down, Emiko," Ino smiled.

Emiko nodded, releasing Ino from her grasp slowly.

" _Now_ , tell me what the problem is," Ino pressed. "Did Sasuke-kun hurt himself?"

Emiko shook her head. Her breathing picked up once again, while she thought about it. Then, trying to dismiss the thought, she dug her nails deep into the palm of her hands and felt the blood seep from between her fingers.

"Then what happened?" Ino asked.

" _Oh_ , Ino, it was  _terrible_!" Emiko cried.

Mayu and Asuka snorted together.

"Yes, but what—?" Ino twitched, her nerves instantly on edge again as Emiko cut her off. Emiko's behavior was proving to her, once again, why she preferred the Uchiha Itachi Fan Club. They were mature, listened, and were able to deal with the problems that popped up without breaking down.

Angrily, Emiko screeched, " _That damn Higurashi Kagome! She was training with Sasuke-kun!?!_ "

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club froze immediately after the words flew from Emiko's mouth. There was simply  _no_  way. Sasuke would  _not_  bother to put up with that Higurashi twit more than once! Especially after Leiko had purposely pulled his father, Fugaku, into the picture!

Emiko  _must_  had been mistaken!?!

"Kagome?" Ino blinked. That was certainly unexpected, but she did not see the real problem with Higurashi Kagome training with Sasuke. The girl was completely and utterly oblivious—she did not even want to acknowledge the fact that Hyuuga Neji wanted her! "I don't think—"

"You're probably just mistaken, Emiko!" Sakura shook her head. "Sasuke-kun was probably angered with Higurashi Kagome today, she has been pretty annoying, and decided to transform one of his clones into her. That way he could take out his frustration on it without having to hurt her. I mean, I doubt he'd want to get into trouble with Hokage-sama just because some Higurashi wouldn't leave him alone."

Emiko continued to shake her head, but allowed Sakura to finish. Then, she hissed, "You're wrong, Sakura! I know what I saw! Higurashi Kagome was training with Sasuke-kun, and then she said that she had to go home because her mother was expecting her! I  _watched_  her leave!"

"Then there's no problem," Ino said. "Kagome's not going to—"

"I'm  _not_  done yet!" Emiko snapped.

Ino twitched in frustration.

"I watched her leave,  _yes_ , but I  _also_  watched Sasuke-kun  _watch her leave_!" Emiko raged. "He refused to take his eyes off her until she was out of sight!?!"

" _WHAT!?!_ " Asuka suddenly exploded.

" _There's simply no way!?!_ " Mayu exploded beside her.

Emiko swiveled her eyes onto them, shouting, "I'm not lying! Sasuke-kun was  _watching_ her like he didn't want her to leave! I've never seen or heard of him looking the way he did! That damn Higurashi's managed to—to do  _something_  to him!?!"

Almost immediately the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club erupted in rage, each and every member wishing to exact revenge on the Higurashi girl.

"I'll— _I'll make sure that little witch can't attract any other man!?!_ " Asuka spat.

" _Sasuke-kun wouldn't!_ " Mayu shook her head. She would  _not_  believe it. She  _could_  not!?! " _He wouldn't!?_ "

"Wait!" Ino shouted. She raised her hands into the air, trying to bring the fan club back underneath her control. " _Wait!_ "

Sakura finally bubbled over the edge, hissing, "Higurashi Kagome  _must_  pay! She is not a part of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club, nor does she have permission to try and capture Sasuke-kun's heart!" She paused, allowing the rest of the club members to agree with her. "I say we confront her! Scare her off! If that doesn't work, we'll force her to leave Sasuke-kun alone!"

" _Sakura!_ " Ino yelled. She could not let this happen. She liked Higurashi Kagome, and she knew for a fact that the girl was too oblivious to even notice if Sasuke  _did_  like her. One of them, if he did, would be able to pull his attention away with ease when she refused to acknowledge his attention. Surely they had to understand that! "We're not—!"

Leiko's calm voice rose over the commotion, while her dark eyes flashed with an eerie light. "I think," she stated, the venom in her voice barely hidden, "that it is time we showed Higurashi her place in this village."

" _Leiko!_ " Ino tried. The Uchiha girl ignored her, though, and she stomped her foot. " _Listen to me, damn it!?!_ "

"Leiko's right!" Mayu nodded. "And that's why she should be—!"

" _Shut up, Mayu!_ " Asuka hissed. " _Now is not the time!_ "

" _Why you—!?!_ "

Leiko turned on her foot, her body tense. She would  _not_  allow that non-Uchiha twit to keep her from rising up into the Uchiha Head's household, even if Sasuke wished to compete with Hyuuga Neji. And now, when it seemed that the situation had gone further than she would have expected, she would rid herself of the problem once and for all.

" _Everyone calm down!?!_ " Ino attempted, and failed, one last time to bring the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club back into order.

"What are you all waiting for?" Leiko murmured. "Let's go."

" _I'm gonna—!_ " Asuka spat.

" _She'll never—!_ " Mayu began.

" _I told you we couldn't—!_ " Emiko hissed.

" _She can't hide—!_ " Sakura boasted.

The entire Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club filed away from the meeting spot, leaving Ino standing alone. And the lone Yamanaka girl clenched her hand into a fist, because she could  _not_  allow them to go after Higurashi Kagome. They would hate her for it, she knew, but Ino really did not care.

They were just a bunch of stupid, jealous  _airheads_  anyway.

She just had to make it there first!

* * *

Higurashi Kagome strolled calmly down the quiet street, smiling at the few civilians that acknowledged her with a bow of their head. It was always rather peaceful close to where her family had chose to build their home, the people knew each other and were friendly, and she allowed herself a moment to relax while in familiar surroundings. She knew that shinobi code demanded that she was on alert at all times, but it was hard for her to do so while nearing the small patch of land her family called home.

So, really, it should not have been that much of a surprise when Yamanaka Ino barreled into her side and practically threw her off her feet. "Kagome—!?"

" _Eh?_ " Kagome blinked in surprise. She barely managed to regain her balance. "Ino, what are you doing—?"

Ino cut her off, saying, "Kagome, you have to get home right now!"

Frowning, the Higurashi girl asked, "What? Why?"

"I—" Kagome finally noticed that Ino was panting, "—ran all this way to tell you that you need to go home! You  _have_  to, Kagome! And then you need to visit the Hokage first thing in the morning! The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club found out that you were training with Sasuke-kun, and they're  _not_  happy about it! They're furious!"

Kagome tilted her head to the side, saying, "I was  _only_  training with him. I don't think there's any reason for them to get angry."

Ino shook her head furiously, glaring at the oblivious girl. "You have to understand," she said, stomping her foot, "they don't  _care_  if you were only helping Sasuke-kun with his training! They'll do anything to make sure that you  _never_  get close to him! They—they might even make sure that you never become a shinobi!"

The Higurashi's eyes narrowed, sharpening. "Now,  _really_ , Ino, there  _are_  jounin that patrol this area. I doubt they  _wouldn't_  notice fighting, and it's against Konoha rule to attack a fellow shinobi, whether in training or not."

Ino shivered beneath the Higurashi glare. Her father often spoke about it, remembering old times when Higurashi Hisao was a force to be reckoned with, and Ino knew that Higurashi Kagome had developed her skill underneath his watchful gaze. But, she was determined to make the other girl see her point. "Do you think they  _care_  when it comes to Uchiha Sasuke?" Ino snapped, dropping the suffix to tell her that she was serious. "They'll have someone distract the jounin, and then they'll—"

"There are—" Kagome tried.

"They  _don't care!?_ " Ino snapped. "All they care about is Sasuke! Sasuke this and Sasuke that! They don't care that they're supposed to follow the shinobi code, as long as they can strive to be on his squad and become his wife! They'll do  _anything_ , Kagome, to get rid of you because, to them, you're a threat!"

Kagome's glare withered, as she muttered, "I was only helping him."

"I  _know_  that," Ino nodded. "You're kind, Kagome. You're  _really_  nice, in a way that most people can't understand, and I like you because of that. And I don't want to see you hurt because those idiots can't get it through their heads that you're only doing the right thing. That you're doing what  _every_  shinobi should strive to do."

" _Now_ , isn't that sweet?" an arrogant voice called out. "Ino—"

The Higurashi girl snapped her eyes up to find Uchiha Leiko glaring heatedly at her.

"—I would have thought you were on our side," Leiko huffed. "But, I suppose, you're just  _too_  much of an Uchiha Itachi girl to  _really_  care about Sasuke-kun."

The rest of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club, glaring just as heatedly, all growled in response. They were  _not_  happy that their own president was trying to  _help_  the one person they now wanted to see smeared into the dirt.

Noticing the kunai that the Uchiha girl was twirling on her finger, Kagome's eyes instinctively sharpened again. Her sight seemed to narrow down to that weapon, watching it travel round and round Leiko's finger, and silently calculating when it would be released. "You leave her alone, Leiko," she frowned. "It's not a crime to like someone else."

"Oh,  _look_ , it seems like they're the  _best of friends_  now," Asuka sneered.

Sakura, confused, bit her lip from her spot amongst the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club. Why was Ino trying to help Higurashi Kagome? Did she  _really_  not care about Sasuke? Or was there something else about her friend-turned-rival that she was unaware of?

"You're  _right_ ," Leiko nodded. "It's  _not_  a crime to like someone else, Higurashi."

Mayu snorted, saying, "It's just a crime to try and take Sasuke-kun from  _us_."

"I don't understand what your problem is—" Kagome shifted her stance a little wider, "—but I was only  _helping_  Sasuke."

Asuka growled, "More like helping yourself  _to_  him!"

Her dark blue eyes never removed themselves from Leiko's weapon, as she shook her head. She understood that they liked Sasuke, to the point it was almost obsessive, but she did not understand why they were twisting her assistance into something that sounded sinister. She had  _not_  done anything wrong. "He asked for me to help him with his taijutsu," she replied, "so I did. There's no crime in that."

"He  _asked_  you—" it was obvious that Leiko could barely contain her chuckle, "—a pitiful little non-Uchiha, to help him, a strong and noble member of the Uchiha clan, with his taijutsu? I seriously  _doubt_  it."

"I'm  _not_  lying!" Kagome scowled.

Ino stepped forward, at last, a large frown on her face. "Your arrogance is going to be your downfall one day, Leiko."

Finally, Leiko laughed. "That's  _rich_ ," she said. "Especially coming from you, Ino! How many times do you train in a week, compared to how often you have to have your hair fixed? I'd say that if either of us is arrogant and vain, it's you, Ino. And even if it isn't, I'm an Uchiha, I have the  _right_  to be!"

"I don't think—" Sakura began.

" _Shut up_ , Sakura," Mayu snapped, silencing the pink haired girl.

"Being an Uchiha doesn't give you the right to attack fellow kunoichi-in-training, though," Ino reminded her. "Physically, mentally, or verbally."

"And who, may I ask, is going to stop me?" Leiko asked. She had already taken care of the jounin in the area with the help of other fan club members. "You? Higurashi?"

Ino scowled. She  _was_  right, she knew she was, but Leiko's tone confirmed it. She had had some of the other Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club members distract the jounin that patrolled the area. No doubt told them some tale about some chuunin picking on them, or their cat being stuck in a tree and refusing to come down.

"Or—" Leiko stopped twirling her kunai, allowing the metal to rest in the palm of her hand, "—perhaps you think someone living in this area will help you? Maybe Higurashi's civilian mother will go running to the Hokage? Or maybe her pitiful little brother will try to save the day?"

Suddenly, Higurashi Kagome did not feel the need to convince the arrogant Uchiha girl of anything.

"Or, this is a laugh, her delusional grandfather will try to relive his days as a shinobi and end up breaking a hip in the attempt?" Leiko laughed.

How dare she!?!

The famous Higurashi glare sharpened a bit more in Kagome's eyes.

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club girls suddenly shifted uncomfortably. It was one thing to go after Higurashi Kagome herself, she was,  _technically_ , one of them in the sense that they were all Academy students. But, to attack a well honored, aging shinobi was another thing entirely, and none of them were sure they wanted to be a part of it.

"Leiko," Mayu said softly, "I don't—"

A fierce glare from the Uchiha girl shut Mayu up.

Despite the look in Leiko's eyes, Emiko, still displeased with what she had seen that day, decided she needed to speak up. " _Uh_ , Leiko," she muttered, "you should not speak that way about your elders, whether they're related to you or not."

"You're all a bunch of  _cowards_!" Leiko snapped. "The Higurashi family is  _pathetic_  compared to the Uchiha clan! I can say whatever I wan—"

" _Shut up_." The amount of venom in Kagome's voice made the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club shiver. "You have  _no_  right to speak that way about my family,  _Uchiha_."

Ino took a step back, noticing the sparks that seemed to dance across Kagome's gaze. "Kagome?" she called. She had lost count of how many times someone had angered Kagome while studying in the Academy, but she knew that no one had  _ever_  angered her to the point her eyes seemed wickedly stunning.

Trying to shake away from the frozen feeling in her limbs, Leiko frowned deeply. She  _knew_  that the Higurashi family was capable of spotting almost every detail with their eyes, but she had been unaware of the direct affect they had on an opponent. It  _almost_  felt like her blood turned cold, gazing into those hauntingly beautiful depths, and her arrogance and pride did  _not_  like it one bit!

" _Holy_ —" Asuka whispered, shivering.

"You're  _right_ ," Leiko forced out. "I've lost track of the real reason why I came here."

"I didn't do anything wrong," the Higurashi girl instantly replied.

"Whether you think so or not—" Uchiha Leiko suddenly released the kunai in her hand, watching Higurashi Kagome immediately step back to keep it from embedding in her foot, "—I'm still going to make sure you stay away from Sasuke-kun!"

Kagome shifted only a little, as Leiko rushed her. Her sharp eyes caught sight of the kunai that Leiko produced from her holster, and when she reached her, she grabbed onto her right arm before the weapon could swipe in her direction. She twisted the arm, watching as Leiko forced herself not to cry out, and caused the kunai to fall from between her limp fingers.

The Uchiha girl retaliated quickly, slamming her foot into Kagome's stomach and forcing her to release her hold. Then, rubbing a bit at her bruised arm, she flipped her fallen kunai into the air using her sandal and sent it hurtling in Kagome's direction a second later. She was only a little frustrated when the Higurashi dodged, despite the small amount of distance she had managed to put between them, and she suspected it was because of those sharp eyes still focused on her.

Pulling a hidden kunai from her waistband, Kagome deflected the shuriken that came rushing at her. She then threw it in Leiko's direction, the girl having used the shuriken as a distraction to get close to her again, and watched her slid to the side. Uchiha Leiko was  _clearly_  being careless. However, Kagome did not let it concern her, as she raised her arm to protect her head when Leiko shot into the air and brought her foot down.

It would be Leiko's own mistake.

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club seemed to be revitalized with the violence. They quickly forgot about Leiko's verbal attack on the Higurashi family, and began to cheer Leiko on. They were vicious when it came to taunts, and Asuka and Mayu even moved forward to help Leiko beat Higurashi Kagome into her place.

Ino slid into Asuka's view as she rushed forward. "I don't think so," she stated, finishing her hand sequence. "I've caught you!"

Asuka was not quite sure what hit her, as she felt the world go black.

Sakura, pausing in her cheer, glanced in the direction of Mayu as the girl shouted at Asuka. Asuka seemed almost confused for a moment, glancing at Ino's suddenly motionless body, before she glanced in Mayu's direction. But, Sakura's gaze remained focused on Ino's form, her head bowed and her form stiff, before she heard Mayu shout in surprise.

" _Asuka, what in the world!?!_ " Mayu screamed, clenching her bleeding nose.

Asuka grinned in a very non-Asuka way. "You idiot!" she shouted. "I'm  _not_  Asuka!"

" _Wha—!?!_ " Mayu began, but Asuka was already upon her.

Sakura was confused, until she realized that Ino had somehow learned a powerful technique and had kept it from the rest of the fan club. But, how? Sakura made it her soul duty to know everything about Ino,  _just_  to make sure she did not catch Sasuke's attention, so when had she learned such a thing? And more importantly,  _what_  was it she had been learning?

Pushed away, Leiko nearly bit her lip in frustration. She knew for a  _fact_  that she surpassed the Higurashi girl in taijutsu. So, how was she defending herself so well? Surely those stunning eyes, piercing into her soul and making her limbs jerk each time she attacked, could not make that big of a difference?!

Kagome refused to be moved, as she stared the Uchiha down.

"I've had  _enough_  of you," Leiko scowled. She brought her hands up to her chest, and quickly began to shift through a series of hand seals.

Snake-Tiger-Boar-Monkey—Kagome was already ahead of her, recognizing the sequence from when she had been helping Sasuke. It was not often that she was able to pick up what technique her opponent was going to use  _before_  they used it, but she silently thanked whoever was watching over her while she shifted through her own hand seals.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" The fire swiftly escaped from Leiko's mouth, shooting toward Higurashi Kagome. But, as she watched the fireball soar across the battlefield, Leiko was surprised to hear Kagome's shout.

"Water Release: Water Bullet Technique!" Three large, identical water spheres shot from Kagome's mouth. Two quickly doused Leiko's fireball, while the third went hurtling toward her and the rest of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club.

* * *

The door banged against the wall, as the chuunin rushed into the Hokage's office. "Hokage-sama!" he yelled. "Hokage-sama, I have just been informed that there is a—!" His voice trailed off, as he looked upon the Hokage, relaxed and leaning over what appeared to be a large mirror. " _Sandaime_ -sama?"

A trail of smoke rose from the Sandaime's pipe, as he lifted his head toward the flustered chuunin. "Hn?" he muttered. "Oh,  _yes_ , I am aware."

" _Um_ —if—if you are aware, Hokage-sama, then aren't you going to do something about it?" The chuunin shuffled his feet a bit in uncertainty. "I know for a fact that the Uchiha girl could cause quite a bit of damage, not only to the surrounding area but also to the Higurashi girl, and, well—"

"Ah," the Sandaime Hokage chuckled, "but some forget that the Higurashi clan is just as capable."

"The Higurashi  _clan_ , sir?" The chuunin boy was rather confused. "I was only aware that there were four Higurashi members in Konoha, and that does not make—"

"They may be broken and scattered across the five great nations," the Sandaime Hokage replied, "but they are still a clan."

"Oh, yes, of course," the chuunin nodded.

"Most forget that the Higurashi clan is much larger than the few members that managed to travel here to Konoha." Another trail of smoke rose from the pipe settled between the Hokage's lips. "Just as they often forget that the Higurashi clan members are very capable assassins, and are taught techniques that can cause as much damage as any other clans special techniques."

" _So_ ," the chuunin concluded, "you're not going to stop them, sir?"

The Sandaime gazed down at the reflection gazing up at him, watching as it swirled and showed another boy heading toward the area. "No," he stated firmly, "I believe that the situation will be resolved soon enough without my interference."

"Should I tell the jounin to hold back then, Hokage-sama?" the chuunin asked.

"Tell them that the situation is under control and they should not worry so much about Academy students," the Hokage said. "But, do inform them that they are to stop the commotion and bring me all the children involved in the squabble should it last more than thirty minutes."

The chuunin bowed low at the waist. He was determined to do as the Sandaime Hokage ordered, as he said, "I will inform them right away, sir."

As the chuunin disappeared, the Sandaime Hokage took another long drag from his pipe. His old, twinkling gaze returned to the surface blinking innocently at him and sought out the sight of Higurashi Kagome dodging a well-aimed kunai thrown by Uchiha Leiko. "You," he chuckled to the Higurashi girl's image, "I believe, are going to cause quite a bit of trouble in the future."

* * *

To amuse himself, Uzumaki Naruto tried to balance the kunai on his nose while he took another tentative step forward. "Ugh, yeah,  _that's it_!" he grinned in victory, as he swiftly centered his head back underneath the kunai when it began to fall to the side. There was  _no_  way it was going to escape him. He was, after all, the future Hokage in the making!

He  _really_  had nothing else to do. Higurashi-san had told him that Kagome had yet to come home from the Academy, assuming that she had to help Iruka-sensei or something. That, in his mind, meant that Sasuke had  _finally_  gotten off his lazy butt and done something on his own for once. But, it  _also_  meant that he had  _absolutely_  nothing to do.

The Uchiha jounin were avoiding him. Like usual, but he  _knew_  that it was because of the last prank he had pulled on them now. The only downside, despite the awesome memory that it served, was that they seemed to be hiding a  _lot_  better than they usually did. Which, consequently, made him bored.

Because,  _really_ , what else was there to do when Sasuke had Kagome's attention and there were no jounin around to prank?

" _Uh,_ no,  _no_ ," Naruto huffed. "You're not getting away from me this time, kunai!"

Admittedly, Naruto  _had_  contemplated the idea of pulling a prank—a  _really_  big one!—on some jounin that were not Uchiha bred. But, then, he realized that it just would  _not_  be as fun. Uchiha jounin were his  _favorite_  to torture, and it would not be the same if he pulled his best prank on a jounin that did not come from the Uchiha clan!

Chuckling, he said, "You thought you'd gotten away, didn't ya? Well, you didn't, you hear!?!"

Then, for a while, he thought about pulling a prank—a  _big one_!—on a building or monument in the village.  _But_ , then, he realized that it would not be as fun if Kagome were not there to frown at him and ask him a billion times how he got her to agree to such a thing. Kagome, despite the complaining she might do,  _did_  give him the best ideas and without her he was not entirely sure if his biggest prank would be as completely  _awesome_  as he wanted it to be.

So, he settled with balancing a kunai on his nose.  _Again_.

"You  _stupid_  piece of metal!" he snapped. "Do not think you can defeat me! I'm Uzumaki Naru—!" The kunai teetered to one side, and Naruto tried his best to regain control over the weapon. "No, no,  _no_!"

A nearby blast startled Naruto for a moment, giving the kunai the opportunity it had been looking for. It toppled forward, despite Naruto's attempt to rebalance it, and then rocketed to the ground with surprisingly speed. Before Naruto could do anything, it embedded itself between his feet, and the blonde felt his lip tremble in despair.

Unable to contain it, Naruto shouted, "Why, kunai,  _why_?"

The unforgiving weapon merely mocked him by gleaming in the sunlight.

" _Why did you betray me?!_ " Naruto sniffled, snatching the kunai out of the dirt. He shook it in front of his face for a moment, knowing that he was probably receiving quite a  _few_  odd looks, before allowing his hand to fall to his side.

He would just have to try again another day—!

The shinobi-in-training tilted his head to the side, suddenly, when his eye caught sight of steam rising up in the distance. "I wonder what's going on over there," he muttered. Then, a grin sprang up on his face, as he shouted, "I know! There's probably some enemy shinobi that have— _Wait_ , this is near Kagome's house!?  _Holy crap_ , what if Kagome's over there?!"

Rushing forward, the grin on Naruto's face refused to disappear. Yes, he  _did_  believe that Higurashi Kagome was probably fighting some evil, smelly enemy shinobi! However,  _if_  that were the case, this was the perfect opportunity to cheer his friend on and watch her kick some enemy shinobi butt! Not  _only that_ , but he could probably kick some butt, too, and then the rest of the village would praise them for having defeated the enemy that no one else saw coming!

 _But_ , Naruto was surprised when he finally peeked around a corner and nearly got his face fried off. He gasped for air, barely having avoided the fire, and brought his hands up to make sure that he still had eyebrows. He sighed in relief when he realized that,  _yes_ , he did still have—

"Are you  _stupid_?!" Yamanaka Ino's voice shouted. "You could burn down the village if you keep shooting those everywhere!?!"

"Be quiet, Ino!" another girl snapped. "You've caused enough trouble already!"

" _Stop it!?_ " Ino yelled.

Naruto's eyes widened, as he watched his best friend rocket herself away from a giant fireball. A large ball of water quickly escaped from her mouth, striking the fire before it could damage any of the surrounding buildings. And  _then_ , Uchiha Leiko went chasing after her, a kunai flashing wickedly in the daylight.

His mouth falling open, Naruto watched as Kagome and Leiko clashed. Kunai scrapped together between them, Leiko trying to throw Kagome off balance by grasping her shoulder, before they thrust each other away. And, as the battle continued, Naruto came to one realization.

This  _was_  perfect!!?!

Kagome  _was_  the damsel in distress, while Leiko  _was_  the evil shinobi bent on defeating her! Which meant that,  _finally_ , Sasuke would have the perfect opportunity to show Kagome that he cared! That he wanted to protect her! To make her open her eyes and realize he wanted her to love him!?!

 _But_ —Naruto bit his lip in indecision—the Uchiha compound was almost on the other side of the village. Sure, once he found Sasuke, the Uchiha boy would  _no doubt_  pump as much chakra through his body as he was able in order to race back,  _but_  there was still the possibility that the scuffle would be over by then. Sasuke  _could_  be racing back for nothing.

Shaking away the thought, Naruto decided that it was  _now_  or  _nothing_. There might not be a better opportunity for Sasuke, since it was going to take something  _big_  for Kagome to realize he liked her. And, really, he  _had_  agreed to give the Uchiha  _every_  opportunity to try and capture Kagome's heart.

He  _was_  the only one trying, after all.

Finally, forcing his feet to move, the boy decided that his friend had the situation under control for the moment. She  _could_  hold out until he managed to find Sasuke and sent the Uchiha back to help her. She  _could_ , there was no denying that, so she should be fine until he managed to arrive. And, if she were not, she would have more reason to look upon Sasuke with admiring eyes!

Slamming his foot against the side of a building, Naruto bound up to the roof. Chakra steadied his footing, and he practically flew toward the Uchiha compound. He surprised himself, actually, with how much speed he obtained when he was concerned about his friend and saving her love life.

Of  _course_ , it was not like he  _wanted_  to hand his best friend's heart over to an arrogant Uchiha.  _But_ , Uchiha Sasuke  _was_  the only one actually trying and at the moment it seemed like he was best person for Kagome. He had status—admittedly, Kagome did not care about that, but he had it nonetheless. He had wealth—the items in his room alone could probably pay to support her for an eternity. He had spirit—he would push forward in order to protect her, especially from other boys. He had determination—he was actually  _trying_  to obtain Higurashi Kagome's heart, the most oblivious girl in the  _world_!

The best part,  _however_ , had to be the fact that he would always have something to dangle over Uchiha Sasuke's head. Seriously!?! He was  _in love_  with Higurashi Kagome, Uzumaki Naruto's best friend!?

Things just  _did not_  get better than that!

Soaring across another alleyway, Naruto was  _positive_  he was making excellent time. He could  _see_  the large, forbidding Uchiha compound in the distance and taunting him in the distance. The only thing that could make the situation better was if Sasuke had decided to travel away from his house and—

And,  _holy shit_ , there he was!?!

" _Sasuke! Sasuke!_ " Naruto shouted, jumping to ground level. He almost could not believe his luck as the dark haired Uchiha boy turned on his heel and blinked at him in curiosity. " _Sasuke_ , you have to come quick!"

"Tch." Sasuke's dark eyes scanned the crowd surrounding them. "And why would I even consider coming with you,  _dobe_?"

"W- _what_?!" Naruto cried. "Because, Kag— _OH!_  I get it! We're in public and you don't want me to give away your  _little_  secret, is that it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, and just to be on the safe side, I don't  _want_  to know," the Uchiha boy replied.

As Sasuke turned away from him, Naruto yelled, "You idiot, don't you under—?!"

Uchiha Sasuke jerked his head subtlety, but it was a clear sign for Naruto to follow him down the dark alley. Once he was sure they were out of earshot, he asked, " _Now_ —"

"I can't believe you!" Naruto cut him off. "I ran all this way—"

"Naruto," Sasuke tried, and failed, to speak once more.

"—and, you know what else, I'm  _sort of_  regretting coming to get you!" Naruto hissed, throwing his hands into the air. "I mean, this is a  _very_  serious matter and all you want to do is make sure no one knows that you, the great and powerful Uchiha Sasuke, are  _in love_  with Higurashi Kagome!"

" _Naruto_ ," Sasuke growled.

"Oh, and  _really_ —"

" _Dobe!_ "

" _WHAT!?_ " Naruto shouted. "This is—"

" _What_  was it you wanted to tell me?" Sasuke demanded.

"Oh,  _oh_!" Naruto nodded. "Right, well, I was trying to find something to do when—"

Sasuke quickly snapped, " _The point_." He was  _not_  in the mood. Something about Naruto's appearance just screamed that he needed to know what he had come to tell him, and he did _not_  want to listen to the blonde shinobi-in-training rant at him for a good ten minutes.

" _Uh,_  right!" Naruto nodded,  _again_. "Well, Kagome's being attacked by Leiko  _and_ —"

Uchiha Sasuke cut him off once more, his eyes shadowed by his hair. "Did you just say," he hissed, "that Kagome, as in Higurashi Kagome, is being attacked by Leiko, as in Uchiha Leiko?"

" _Well, yeah_ —" Naruto started.

Sasuke's blazing eyes locked on Naruto's, anger clearly etched in his face. His eye visibly twitched, while his hand clenched into a fist, and he prepared himself for the noise he was about to make. Then, he yelled, "If she's being attacked, why didn't  _you_  help her?!?"

"Because," Naruto defended himself, "this is the perfect opportunity for you to— _Hey! Hey!_ " The Uzumaki boy watched as the Uchiha suddenly rushed away from him. And he went to follow, shouting, " _You don't know where you're going!?_ "

* * *

Biting her lip, Kagome extinguished another trail of flames that began licking up the side of a building to her left with a douse of water. The area was so close to her home, and she was positive that the flames could spread that far  _very_  quickly if she did not stop them immediately. So, she did, despite the fact that Leiko's clone dropped from the same rooftop with a kunai shining in its grip.

The clone swiped the kunai through the air, clipping Kagome's hair a bit as the Higurashi girl sprang backwards.

"Fire Release—" one clone finished the hand sequence, while another began to release the first batch of flames, "—Great Fireball Technique!"

Escaping the trail of fire, Kagome watched as the fire slammed greedily into the side of a wooden building and began to eat away at the structure. She gritted her teeth in that moment, wondering where the jounin in the area were. They should have seen the flames,  _at least_!? And they should have come running, putting a stop to the battle and dragging them all away to see the Hokage!? Yet, no jounin came, and Kagome was forced to deal with the flames herself as the helpless civilians watched the Uchiha bring devastation to their sector.

Damn it, though, there was only so much precipitation in the air! And she was  _pretty sure_  that the Uchiha girl had figured out that that was how she was continuously producing the orbs of water. Which meant it was also the reason she was throwing so many of the fireballs around, knowing that she would soon run out of water and need to run in order to escape the flames.

Then, she knew, she would be easy prey.

" _Leiko!_ " Ino cried, struggling against Asuka and Mayu. " _You're going to burn the village down!?_ "

Mayu snorted, saying, "Leiko  _knows_  what she's doing, Ino. She's  _not_  going to burn the village down!"

Asuka, surprisingly, nodded in agreement. "Leiko is an Uchiha, she knows what the limit is on her technique." Then, sneering, she added, " _Besides_ , she'll be a much better president now that  _you've_  decided that you would rather help that little  _witch_. We'll begin the arrangements  _right away_. Oh, and,  _maybe_ , we'll tell the Uchiha Itachi Fan Club about your little need to help those that only want to take what belongs to  _us_!"

Ino growled, snapping, "As if the members of the Uchiha Itachi Fan Club would listen to any of  _you_ , Asuka! They know whose innocent and whose not!"

" _Uh_ ," Mayu rolled her eyes, "if they can't see that that little Higurashi brat is trying to steal Sasuke-kun from us, then they're as dumb as you are, Ino! Though,  _really_ , I don't see why we've gone to such lengths in order to keep her away from him! Sasuke-kun will  _never_  turn away from me!"

" _You?_ " Asuka snorted. "In your dreams, Mayu."

"What'd you say?" Mayu growled. Her grip slackened a little, while she glared heatedly into Asuka's eyes.  _Oh_ , how she hated that girl! She did  _not_  deserve to be a faithful Uchiha follower!

"You  _heard_  me—"

Ino seized the opportunity, as Asuka went to argue with Mayu more. She slammed her elbow into Mayu's stomach, causing the girl to double over, and then swiped her foot beneath Asuka's feet before she could comprehend what had happened. Once they were both on the ground, one wheezing and the other whining about her back, Ino grinned in victory. "You two," she stated, " _really_  need to shut up."

Leiko's voice commanded attention once more, forcing Ino's attention to her, while the Uchiha girl laughed. "Look at you, Higurashi. You're more concerned with the wood around here than your life! Surely you don't think that Sasuke-kun will  _ever_  be attracted to someone that will not even fight back?"

"I told you—" Kagome began. "Oh,  _forget it_!"

A voice suddenly hissed in Kagome's ear, "Those eyes of yours—"

"—apparently don't see  _everything_!" another voice shouted.

Two clones attacked Kagome simultaneously, each waving a gleaming kunai and dropping from the sky at shocking speed. However, the Higurashi girl was prepared, and she rolled away from her position, using her momentum to hoist her body onto her hands. Then, just as quickly, she bent her elbows and pushed herself further away from Uchiha Leiko.

The sound of the clones popping out of existence told Kagome that she had won the battle, but she was  _far_  from winning the war. And, as she bit her lip again, she debated strongly on whether to use a more devastating technique in order to put a stop to Leiko's madness. A water technique could only do so much damage, but a lightning one could easily paralyze the body and leave Leiko unconscious. She knew there was the chance of death,  _though_ , and she also knew that her mother would be very disappointed to hear that she had used such a technique on a fellow shinobi.

"Don't think you can run forever, Higurashi!" Leiko chuckled. Her gaze seemed wild, while her heart pounded inside her chest. She was  _positive_  she was going to prove to Sasuke that she, a well-bred Uchiha woman, would be better suited as his wife. And she was  _positive_  that she was going to scar the Higurashi girl in some way, which, strangely, delighted her in many ways.

Before Kagome knew what she was really doing, she was praying for her mother to forgive her just this once. And then, relaxing her body and knowing she was opening herself for attack, she began to shift through a series of complicated hand seals.

The jounin were  _not_  coming. She  _had_  to do  _something_!? It did not matter if her mother would be furious at her, as long as she managed to knock Leiko unconscious with one blow. Because then, at least, the village would be safe from the Uchiha girl's sudden need to throw fire everywhere.

However, Kagome flattered in her hand sequence when a fan girl shouted, " _Sasuke-kun!"_

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club squealed in glee, believing that the boy they loved had come to help them. He had  _finally_  seen that Higurashi Kagome was no good for him and planned to strike the finishing blow! And then,  _oh then_ , he would choose one of them to help him with his training!

But,  _of course_ , there were always those that did not believe completely as some of the fan club members tensed at the look in Sasuke's eyes. They realized, though the rest of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club would deny it till the end, that Sasuke's stance was protective, fierce, and he was looking at  _them_. They, the small few that they were, immediately backed away, believing that the simple movement might stop Uchiha Sasuke from focusing his rage upon them.

" _Sasuke!?!_ " Leiko cried out in surprise.

Higurashi Kagome turned her head, her hair flipping up with the action, as Uchiha Sasuke knelt in one fluid motion. Her sharp eyes watched, fixed upon his form, as he brought his hand up to his mouth. She knew what he planned to do almost instantly—she  _was_  a bit skeptical after watching him fail to perform the technique more than a few times—but she was still surprised when the flames were released and sent shooting toward his kin.

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club squealed again, in terror, as they turned to flee from the one boy they had always believed would  _not_  turn against them in violence.

Ino, having moved to the side to escape the stampede, felt her mouth drop open. Sasuke  _really_  did—!?

Amongst the flames and the chaos, Kagome's gaze remained locked on Sasuke's form even when he rose up and stood at full height. Suddenly, as she watched, she could not seem to hear the annoying squeals from the fan club members or Leiko's frightened yell. All she noticed was the way the glow of the flames licked against the coloration of Sasuke's face, his dark eyes focused upon her, and his thick voice called out through the increasing noise to ask her a question.

"They didn't hurt you, did they, Kagome?"

Her eyes widening, the Higurashi girl felt her face begin to heat up.

" _Now_ ,  _that's what I'm talkin' about!?!_ " Naruto's excited voice shouted from behind them.

Uchiha Sasuke completely ignored Naruto, his concern for Kagome and Kagome alone. " _Kagome?_ " he called softly, when she refused to answer him.

Surprising even herself, a small "eep" escaped Kagome's mouth. Then, as she felt her blush heating up further, she quickly turned her head away from the Uchiha boy to try and calm her suddenly racing heart.

How, she wondered, had she  _never_  noticed how handsome Uchiha Sasuke really was?


	14. A Small Gesture

"—and, due to the circumstances behind the assault, you will be suspended from attending the Academy until the graduation date. You will, of course, still be placed onto a squad, but you will also be monitored for a period of six months afterward in order to make sure that this event does not happen again. Do you understand, Uchiha Leiko?"

Uchiha Leiko's scowl deepened, while she kept her dark eyes focused on the carpet lining the Hokage's office. "Yes, Hokage-sama," she stated, speaking only when she was spoken to. It was, after all, expected of her with her father standing nearby with the famous Uchiha frown plastered on his face.

He was  _clearly_  displeased with her behavior.

Her father just did  _not_  understand. She  _needed_  her cousin to notice her, even if it meant getting rid of those that might stand in the way, and he should at least be proud that she developed the need to obtain what she wanted by any means necessary. But, no, her father did not care. He was proud only when she did what he wanted her to do.

"You have, essentially—" the Sandaime Hokage was  _not_  happy with the decision, but the Elder Council demanded he give the talented Uchiha a light punishment due to the fact no people were hurt, "—halted any progression in your squad. You will not be allowed outside of the village, nor will you be allowed to carry any weapons. And, if need be, chakra restrains will be placed to make sure you are not a danger to yourself or others."

Her father shook his head for the millionth time.

"I hope that you can live with that in the future, Uchiha Leiko," he continued.

The Hokage's sentence struck deep, and Leiko's fingers immediately clenched into a fist.

"I can assure you, Hokage-sama, that my daughter," her father sneered in her direction, "will  _never_  disgrace this village in such a fashion again."

The Uchiha girl lowered her head, allowing her dark colored locks to shadow her eyes completely. She knew that her father would be watching her closely from now on. He would monitor every action that she took, every step that she decided to make, and make sure that those who were assigned for the task were doing the job correctly.

Yet, Leiko  _also_  knew that her father would eventually be drawn away from his self-appointed mission. He would decide that she had been watched enough, that she would follow every rule he had set, and return to his pervious way of life. He would stop watching her,  _eventually_ , just as those appointed by the Hokage would stop watching her, and then, she could show that blasted Higurashi her place in the world. Teach her a lesson. Show her that Sasuke would not always be able to come to her aid.

"I will make certain of that." Her father gripped the back of her chair tightly. His anger nearly caused the wood to buckle, Leiko noticed, but she really did not care.

She would relish the day she could act freely. The day she could finish what she started by removing Higurashi Kagome from Sasuke's heart. The day she could break the little non-Uchiha.

Yes, it  _would_  be glorious, and already she could taste it on her tongue.

* * *

" _Kagome!_ "

" _Eh?!_ " the girl squealed, barely given time to brace herself as her blonde friend attached himself to her arm. She quickly sighed, though, when she realized that she was  _still_  on her feet after the impact.

Naruto grinned happily, shoving his arm into his best friend's face. "Look,  _look_ , Kagome! A medic-nin checked my arm this morning and said that it's perfectly fine now. Not  _even_  a scratch from that damn Uchiha's lousy fire technique!"

"That's wonderful, Naruto,  _really_  it is, but—" she was much more concerned with her health at the moment, "— _one of these days you're gonna give me a heart attack!_ "

The shinobi-in-training shoved her away, as her voice screeched in his ear. " _Ah_ , damn it, Kagome!"

" _Naruto!_ " Kagome's dark blue eyes widened, as she teetered on the edge of her sandal. Then, as misfortune took hold, she found herself toppling over and landing on the hard, unforgiving ground.

"You didn't have to scream in my ear!" he finished, clutching his poor, throbbing appendage. Having closed his eyes, he did not even realize that the Higurashi girl had hit the dirt. But, even subconsciously, he shivered when he realized that she was beginning to glare at him heatedly.

Her mouth twisted into a deep scowl, as she snarled, " _Nar-u-to._ "

" _Ugh_." Naruto stiffened. He cracked an eye open, noticing she was on the ground, and nervously laughed, " _H_ -hey, Kagome, when'd you get on the ground?"

"When you  _pushed_  me, that's when!" Kagome snapped. " _Now_ , either help me up or I'll—!?!"

" _I'm helping!?_   _I'm helping!?_ " the boy cried. He knew the tone of her voice all  _too_  well, and he did  _not_  want to become her slave once more. Never again would he pull weeds—or those prickly things!—if he had anything to say about it! So, as fast as he was able, he grabbed a hold of her hand and pulled her up onto her feet once more.

Dusting herself off, Kagome was a bit amused by Naruto's refusal to relax after he helped her up. He  _really_  did not want to find out what  _or_  would lead to. But, though it amused her greatly, she decided to reassure him. "Thank you, Naruto," she grinned.

"U- _uh_ , right, you're welcome."

"I'm happy about your arm," she smiled. Yet, when he sent her a skeptical glance, she added, " _Really_ , I am. I just didn't expect you to jump out of nowhere while I was walking to the Academy."

"But, Kagome, I do that  _all_  the time," Naruto quickly pointed out. He  _was_ , after all, the master of disguise. He had managed to scare her quite a few times since they began the Academy together. "What were you doing,  _daydreaming_?"

Frowning at the way he drew out the word, Kagome shook her head in denial. She had  _not_  been daydreaming. Yes, she  _might_  have been drawn back to the memory of fire licking up the side of Uchiha Sasuke's face and giving him an eternal look, but she was  _not_  daydreaming,  _damn it_! And, just to make sure Naruto understood that fact, she firmly stated, " _No_."

"Uh huh," Naruto grinned. She was  _totally_  daydreaming. "But, please, Kagome, enlighten me as to why you're face is getting all red?!"

Turning her face away from him quickly, Kagome snapped, " _Shut up!_  My face is  _not_  red!"

"Yes, it  _is_!" Naruto snickered. "All around here—" he empathized by drawing circles on his cheeks, "—and, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were blushing."

"W- _well_ —" desperately, she tried to vanquish the image that refused to leave her mind and  _failed_ , "—then it's a good thing you know better!"

" _Definitely_." Naruto cheered silently to himself, while his friend began to glare at him once more. This was  _perfect_! He, Uzumaki Naruto, had done the impossible! He had made the most oblivious girl in school, his best friend, Higurashi Kagome, notice a boy! Admittedly, that boy  _was_  Uchiha Sasuke, but now he had something to  _really_  rub in the Uchiha's arrogant face!

Because,  _really_ , he never would have done it without him, Naruto!  _In fact_ , he should be praising his name, preferably out loud, to the heavens! He should be thanking him, bowing at his feet, and admitting that he never could have accomplished such a feat without his help!

"Naruto?" Kagome called, catching her friend's attention.

"A- _ah_ , yeah?" the blonde laughed. Had he gotten  _that_  caught up in his little fantasy?

Finally, the Higurashi girl shook her head, stating, "Nevermind. I don't want to know." Then, with determined steps, she began her journey to the Academy once more. Hopefully,  _this time_ , she would manage to make it there without someone pouncing on her when she was not paying attention.

Defensively, Naruto shouted at her back, "Yeah,  _well_ , at least I'm not going all weird and blushing when someone asks a simple question!"

The dark haired girl stopped, stiffening.

" _That's_  right, I said it!" Naruto grinned. Maybe,  _just maybe_ , he could get her to admit that she had been thinking about Uchiha Sasuke when she started to blush. "You were blushing! You  _know_  you were, you just want to deny it and say that you weren't! Because— _because_  you don't want me to find out that you've secretly decided to accept Neji's proposal and—!?!"

Slowly, Kagome turned on her heel. Her eyes alone, dark and shadowed by her hair, made the blonde shinobi-in-training stop talking as a  _very_  visible shiver swept through his body.

Praying, Naruto remained perfectly still. He  _might_  have taken the situation a step too far, now that he thought about it.

Snorting at last, the Higurashi spun on her heel once more and returned to her brisk walk. She  _refused_  to be seen walking with an immature, insensitive, know-it-all  _jerk_  that seemed to believe he could  _read_  her mind. Besides, even if she  _shouted_  the real reason that her face had heated up, she doubted that he would believe her.

Naruto just would  _not_  understand!?!

* * *

" _Hey_ , Kagome, what are you looking at?"

"Nothing, why?" the kunoichi-in-training asked.

Naruto blinked at her. Then, he stated, " _Well_ , I just happened to notice that your head snapped up when Sasuke-teme asked to go to the bathroom. And, I  _might_  have noticed that you haven't stopped watching the door since then.  _So_ , would you care to  _enlighten_  me as to—?"

"No, Naruto, I would  _not_ ," she huffed. For once, she wanted to keep her business, her business. And, despite the fact that she really did like Naruto as a friend, the topic was not one she was going to discuss with him.

" _Oh_ , well—" she was  _so_  lying, "—I just thought that, maybe, since, you know, he saved you yesterday from Leiko, you might have wanted to thank him or something. I mean, that would explain why you keep watching him,  _right_?"

Stiffening at the tone he used, she hissed, "Are you implying I couldn't have saved myself, Uzumaki Naruto?"

" _Ah_." Naruto resisted the urge to hide. "No."

"Good."

"From what I have heard," a person called out from behind them, "there were quite a few that went after you, Kagome. You  _could_  have beaten quite badly. Though, then again, they _were_  a bunch of Uchiha followers."

"She started it!" Sakura shouted, bristling in her seat. "So, just shut your mouth, Mizuki!"

" _Oh_? And, pray tell,  _Sakura_ , just  _how_  did Kagome start your little fight?" Mizuki sneered. She would have loved to hear that the Higurashi girl had beaten quite a few of the members in the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club to a pulp. Not only would she not have to listen to them for a while, but Kagome might have also been told she could  _never_  be a kunoichi. And that, truly, was what she wanted to hear, since then Neji would  _definitely_  fall at her feet.

"She's trying to steal Sasuke-kun, that's how!" Sakura hissed back.

"How  _many_  times?!" Kagome muttered darkly. She had  _not_  been—!?

"Oh, be quiet, Sakura," Ino huffed. "You and I both know that  _you_  were the one that started that fight."

"I would never—!" Sakura tried to defend herself, but Ino cut her off.

"That's the  _exact_  reason why Leiko's not here!" Ino finally snapped. "She thought that just because she's an Uchiha, she wouldn't get into trouble, but she was  _wrong_! She did get into trouble, and I wouldn't be surprised if Sandaime-sama decides to make her wait a  _long_  time before she can officially say she's a kunoichi!"

The rest of the classroom began to whisper. They had known that Higurashi Kagome was the reason Uchiha Leiko had not come to class, but they curious and wished to spill every little detail that they knew about the battle.

Immediately, every member of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club stiffened. They refused to budge from the idea that they were innocent. Yet, they also refused to speak about the fight when people tried to ask them what  _really_  happened. And that, truthfully, told the rest of the class that they  _had_  started the fight and were now in denial because of their precious Sasuke.

"Don't talk about Leiko like that,  _traitor_!" Sakura still could not believe that Ino had chosen Kagome over Sasuke. What was  _wrong_  with her?!?

"I'll talk about Leiko how I want to!" Ino snarled.  _Oh_ , she knew  _exactly_  what Sakura was thinking. She  _had_  chosen Kagome over Sasuke, but only because she liked the girl and she now realized that she would be good for the Uchiha boy. Besides, she had Uchiha Itachi anyway! "Besides, I might be a traitor to the Sasuke fan club, but at least I'm not a traitor to this  _village_ , billboard brow!"

Sakura's mouth fell open, and she gapped for quite some time. Then, suddenly, she exploded with, " _Ino-pig!?!_ "

The rest of the Academy students instantly leaned in closer, whispering after Sakura's outburst. They were rather surprised that Iruka-sensei had not come flying down the hallway in order to quiet the commotion, but they were thankful for the moment to discuss the latest development happening before their eyes.

"This is—" Naruto was about to continue, when a conversation caught his ear.

"Yeah—" a boy across the aisle clearly did not realize that almost the entire class could hear him, "—from what I hear, Sakura's only freaking out because after Sasuke saved Kagome, she thanked him by kissing him. Tongue and everything."

"Damn, lucky bastard," the boy next to him said.

" _What?!?_ " Kagome did not even  _wonder_  where that rumor had come from. All she knew was that she wanted it  _gone_. Right that instant!? Because, though her face was beginning to heat up with the thought of doing such a thing, she would  _never_  dream of doing such a thing just because someone helped her.

"No!" Mizuki felt her mouth drop open. "Why would anyone ever betray Neji-sama for an Uchiha!?!"

Suddenly, with Mizuki's shout, the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club began to speak.

"I told you she was a witch—!" an Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club member began.

"She's seeing them both! That's just awful, don't you think?" another fan girl gasped.

"I heard that after she caught Sasuke-kun in her web, she went to see that blasted Hyuuga!" one sneered. "It's disgusting!"

" _What!?! What!?!_ " Kagome was ready to  _explode_. How dare they say that she had—!?!

" _That's enough!?_ " The classroom hushed, surprisingly, as Ino stood on her seat. "I was  _with_  Kagome, and so was Naruto, after the fight! She did  _not_  kiss Sasuke, and she did  _not_  go run off to see Hyuuga Neji afterward!"

Naruto nodded vigorously, despite the fact he was leaning away from the fuming Higurashi girl next to him. "Yeah! We walked her home!"

"She still could have—!"

"Oh,  _shut up_ , Reina!" Ino snapped.

Then, the room went silent, as the door swung open. Even Ino, standing on her seat, froze when she realized that it might be Iruka-sensei finally coming to yell at them. Though, she did find it a little odd that the door had not bashed against the wall in anger.

Uchiha Sasuke stepped inside, and the Academy students gave a collective sigh of relief.

The Uchiha boy's dark eyes scanned the room thoroughly afterward, though it appeared that no one was willing to talk. And, he was a bit surprised when they all turned away from him and ignored the glare he sent in their direction. What, he wondered, had he missed?

* * *

"You want me to  _what_?" There was absolutely  _no way_  he was going to make a fool out of himself for the other boy's amusement.  _No_  way. And it did not matter  _how_  many times he growled out his demand or told him how successful the plan would be, because his decision was the same. No, no, and, oh  _yes_ ,  _no_.

" _You_ —" Naruto pointed at the Uchiha, "—are going to give  _this_ —" he pointed at the flower in his hand, "—to Kagome!"

"In  _public_?" Sasuke asked, skeptical. If he did not know any better, he would say that the blonde's current plan was another one of his pranks against the Uchiha clan. Seriously, what did the idiot expect him to do? Kneel down on the ground in front of her and present her with the flower like some love-struck fool?!

" _Yes!_ " Naruto huffed in annoyance. The arrogant Uchiha was just  _so_  stubborn suddenly. "It's the only way that she'll know you're serious! I mean,  _yeah_ , she has started to notice you—!"

"Wait,  _what_?" Sasuke stopped him.

"You  _haven't_  noticed?!?" Naruto screeched. "You mean to tell me that you  _didn't_  notice the way she was all dazed and blushing while we were in class!?! She absolutely refused to talk to you,  _hell_ , about you, and you  _didn't notice_?!? Where were you looking, you—you  _pervert_!?!"

" _Hey_ —!" Sasuke snapped. He was  _not_  a pervert.

" _Gah!_ " Naruto flung his unoccupied hand through the air. "You're  _worse_  than Neji and his blasted Byakugan!"

Immediately, the Uchiha boy snarled, " _How dare you_ —?"

" _But_ , we don't have time for that!" Naruto made sure to glare at the dark haired Uchiha. He had  _not_  realized he was pushing Kagome in the direction of an actual pervert, otherwise he _might_  have thought a little more about his decision to help him. "You need to give this flower to Kagome. You only need to tell her that it's for her, nothing more and nothing less."

Staring the idiot in the eye for a moment, Sasuke finally reached out to take the dark purple flower. Despite the fact that the blonde irritated him beyond belief, his ideas were, _apparently_ , having an affect on Kagome. And, in the end, that was all he really cared about. So, really, why should it matter if the entire village would soon be gossiping about him, Uchiha Sasuke, giving a flower to her, Higurashi Kagome?

"Ok!" a grin flashed across Naruto's face. "Now, we have to find Kagome! She'll probably be somewhere in the market, since her mother usually sends her off around this time of the week to pick up groceries!"

Sasuke nearly rolled his eyes. He had known that.

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait!"

Almost immediately, Uchiha Sasuke followed Naruto's finger and found that he was pointing at Higurashi Kagome. Who, he noticed, was surrounded by a swarm of women trying to find the best deal on apples or whatever else they were buying. Subconsciously, with the discovery, his hand clenched around the flower the blonde idiot insisted he carry and give to the girl in a show of affection.

It  _figured_.

Grinning, Naruto fisted his hand before his chest, asking, "You understand what you've got to do, right?"

"Yes," Sasuke growled, but nodded.

" _And_ , you understand that you only need to say four little words, right?" the other boy continued.

"Yes," Sasuke replied,  _again_.

" _And!_  you understand that you actually need to  _give_  her the flower instead of choking up,  _right_?" Naruto stressed. He wanted to make sure that every little detail was followed to the exact, because he did  _not_  want another failure due to Sasuke's loose tongue. Seriously, last time, he  _only_  had to ask her on a date!?

" _Yes_." Did the idiot think  _he_  was stupid?

Glancing over the Uchiha's face with a critical eye, Naruto finally nodded. "All right," he said, "now all you have to do is go down there and—" His head swung in the direction of his friend, and paused at what he saw. Squinting his eyes, he asked, "Is that Neji?"

The Uchiha boy's eyes hardened with the mention of the Hyuuga's name, as he sought to find out for himself. And, indeed, there the blasted Hyuuga stood. Next to Kagome, almost _touching_  her, and the pit of his stomach twisted at the way the Hyuuga's hand lifted and fingered the little nin-cat charm hanging around her neck.

Kagome appeared to ask a question, and much to Sasuke's pleasure, she took a step backward. In the process, the Hyuuga's hand fell away from her delicate neck and rested once more at his side. Where it  _belonged_ , and should stay, unless the Hyuuga was fond of the idea of it being cut from his wrist.

"Huh, that's  _odd_ ," Naruto muttered.

Curious, Sasuke asked, "What is?"

" _Eh?_ " Naruto seemed to realize that the other boy was still standing next to him, as he shrugged. "Oh, well, Neji isn't usually that forward. He likes to talk a lot, but I've never seen him try to touch Kagome or anything that she possesses."

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes. He had known of the Hyuuga affection for Kagome for  _quite_  some time, but he had not been aware of  _that_  little fact. And, the fact that he was becoming more forward,  _now_ , really started a deadly, twisting fire in Sasuke's chest.

He immediately smirked, though, when he realized that Kagome did not seem to be giving into the Hyuuga's attempt. In fact,  _now_ , she seemed to be trying to turn it away. She did not  _want_  to have his gaze upon her, because if what Naruto had said was true, she wanted him, Uchiha Sasuke, to glance at her in such a way.

Though anger still coursed through his veins, Sasuke felt his pride swell. Kagome would be his soon enough. She would give him her love, her affection, and then he would make sure that the damn Hyuuga understood, even  _silently_ , that she had given it to him. Freely. And, the day she agreed to be his forever, he would  _love_  to see the look upon the Hyuuga's face.

Watching the object of his affection, the Uchiha boy slowly felt his anger die and his determination rise. His hand tightened around the flower he held, though his grip was not tight enough to break the delicate stem. Because now, having seen Hyuuga Neji trying to steer Kagome's heart away from him, he was more than willing to present her with the flower in any way that Naruto told him to. He  _would_  kneel, praise her,  _anything_ , as long as he continued to stride in the right direction and kept her from  _ever_  looking upon that blasted Hyuuga the way he wanted her to look at him.

"This  _sucks_ ," Naruto suddenly declared. "We can't hear  _anything_  from here!"

The dark haired boy rolled his eyes after hearing the blonde speak. Of  _course_  they could not hear anything, they were on a rooftop at  _least_  ten feet above a loudly packed street. _But_ , like always, it would be Naruto to point out the obvious.

"Don't look at me like that!" Naruto hissed. "I'd like to know what he's saying. I  _am_  Kagome's best friend, after all, and I  _deserve_  to be informed when a boy tries to put the moves on her!"

Sasuke's merely lifted his eyebrow.

" _What?_ " Naruto scowled. "I do! Especially when that boy is Hyuuga Neji!?! Do you even  _know_  what he did before?!"

" _No_ ," Sasuke answered bluntly. He did not know, and, if he had his way, he would  _never_  know. But, as Naruto's mouth opened, he knew that the other shinobi-in-training was more than willing to spill the information.

Before he spoke, though, his mouth snapped shut. Then, after a moment, Naruto surprisingly muttered, "On second thought, you don't  _need_  to know."

"Why—?" Sasuke began.

" _Hey_ , look!" Naruto shouted, cutting him off. "Neji's leaving!"

Glancing up, the Uchiha boy watched as Hyuuga Neji did, indeed, leave.

" _Now's your chance!_ " Naruto yelled happily. He practically shoved the Uchiha forward after his declaration, determined to put his plan into action. Because this one, he was  _positive_ , would pave the way to his friend's heart for the Uchiha.

As the other boy shoved him into the side of the building, Sasuke turned a swift glare upon him. However, Naruto's sentence stopped him from coming snapping at him. As much as he did not like him, he was right.

There was no time like the present. So, with a simple leap, Uchiha Sasuke sailed toward the ground and his opportunity to truly begin wooing the Higurashi girl.

* * *

" _Um_ , yes, I need a dozen eggs, please."

The old woman behind the counter smiled, nodding, as she said, "That was a fine example of a Hyuuga you managed to snag there, Higurashi-san. If only I could have been so lucky in my younger days."

" _Oh?_ " Kagome squeaked. "You mean Neji?"

"Is that his name?" the old woman laughed. Her memory suddenly seemed to come back to her. "Hyuuga Neji, the prodigy of the Hyuuga clan. That's an even better feat than I could have ever hoped to achieve when I was young and beautiful."

"I think you misunderstand, Yuzu-san. Neji is my friend, I don't like him that way," Kagome explained. "He's very nice,  _but_ —"

"I see, I see," Yuzu-san nodded. "Perhaps your taste runs more toward Uchiha?"

The mere mention of the clan made the Higurashi girl turn her face away from the old woman. She could already feel her blush rising, Uchiha Sasuke's concerned eyes flashing across her mind. But,  _amazingly_ , she managed to control it enough that her face only turned a light shade of pink.

The image in her mind did not stop her heart from beginning to hammer away in her chest, though.

Yuzu-san smiled knowingly. " _Ah_."

" _Um_ , Yuzu-san, I  _really_  need those eggs so that I can get home," Kagome muttered under her breath. Why was she  _still_  blushing?!

"Of course, dear," the old woman nodded.

Sighing, the kunoichi-in-training gripped the basket she held tightly. She was happy for the moment of peace, but it did not help that Yuzu-san had managed to imprint the memory of fire licking against Sasuke's skin back into her mind. And, the more she thought about it, the redder her face got. Seriously, it was  _ridiculous_!?! The mere mention of his clan name should  _not_  affect her so much!?!

Yet, it did, and it seemed like there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"Here you  _ar_ —!" the old woman stopped suddenly.

"Yuzu-san?" Kagome asked in concern.

" _Kagome_."

The voice called out from behind her, and instantly, the girl stiffened. The blush that she had been trying to bring under her control rose up a little more, as she turned on her heel and looked upon the boy that refused to leave her head. " _Oh_ , h-hello, Sasuke," she smiled brightly. "What are you doing here? Do you need something?"

The Uchiha's eyes searched her face, blinking. " _Um_ , well, you see—"

Yuzu-san's eyes twinkled, as, once more, she muttered, " _Ah_."

Higurashi Kagome's embarrassment was replaced with concern very quickly, as she took a step toward the Uchiha boy. "Sasuke, are you all right?" she asked.

"Yes," Sasuke nodded. His stomach flipped,  _again_ , and he cursed his gut for betraying him at such a time. He had been doing  _so_  well!? "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Kagome was  _not_  convinced. "You're starting to turn a little red."

"I'm  _positive_ ," he smirked. It felt good, despite the feeling in his stomach, to have Higurashi Kagome's concern directed toward him. He had had it before, but  _now_ , knowing that she was beginning to notice him and having her instantly question him about his health, Sasuke felt suddenly light.

" _Oh_."

The crowded street finally seemed to notice something odd, as whispers began to pass along amongst them. Then, with a gasp, one woman realized what was clenched in the Uchiha's hand and began to speak rapidly with the woman next to her. The new discovery spread like wildfire, as each person came up with a different reason as to  _why_  an Uchiha would be wondering around with such an item.

The crowd swelled with excitement. No matter what reason the Uchiha boy had for carrying the item, it was a rare occurrence to witness an Uchiha's affection, and the crowd quieted as they realized it might happen.

Trying to ignore the flip in his stomach, Sasuke finally raised his hand and tilted the flower in Higurashi Kagome's direction. He noticed how her eyes were instantly drawn to the dark purple plant, but he could not stop the slight stiffening of his muscles. " _Kagome_ , I—" He just could  _not_  bring himself to continue.

"S-Sasuke?" the Higurashi girl stammered.

"I—" Sasuke had to remind himself,  _again_ , that she was  _just_  a girl. It should not be that difficult to speak with her! Yet, he had never been good with emotions, and found himself tongue-tied once more. "You see—"

The blush on Kagome's face brightened, when she finally realized he was trying to give the flower  _to_  her. Her heart picked up speed once more, while she stared at the small gesture. It was just  _so_  unexpected. Why would anyone,  _especially_  Uchiha Sasuke, want to give  _her_  such a thing?

Wanting to hit himself, Sasuke felt his mind return to what Naruto had told him to do. And, though he hated to admit it, he allowed the idiot's words to escape from his mouth. "This is for  _you_ , Kagome."

" _Why_ —?" she began.

"I want you to have it," he continued.

" _Oh_ ," Higurashi Kagome managed. "I— _um_ —thank you."

Sasuke allowed it to slip from his fingers as she took it, and he was satisfied to watch as she brought it close to her chest and gripped it tightly. However, when she raised her hauntingly beautiful eyes to meet his own, he turned his head away. He did not completely understand it, but—

 _Ohhh_.

Uchiha Sasuke felt his heart skip a beat, as Kagome's lips pressed firmly against his cheek for a brief moment. She retreated quickly, her face completely red, and the Uchiha boy's head snapped in her direction. He would  _not_  have believed it had he not felt it, and even then, he was left a little stunned. "K—"

She cut him off, stating, "Thank you,  _again_ , Sasuke, but I  _really_  need to be getting home." And then, almost immediately, she fled with the eggs that she had been sent to buy from Yuzu-san. She was  _so_  embarrassed!?! How could she face him again after doing something like that?!?

" _Kagome?_ " he called. She ignored him, though, walking swiftly.

"How simply stunning," the old woman behind the counter chuckled, "to see Uchiha Fugaku's boy trying to woo a girl."

"How cute!" another woman cried. "I wish my boy could be that sweet!"

Slowly, ignoring the crowd around him, the boy pressed his hand against the spot where Kagome had laid her kiss. It still seemed to burn beneath his fingertips, while he traced it. Then, suddenly, a smirk blossomed on his lips because he knew that Higurashi Kagome would soon place her heart in the palm of his hand.

The fact that she had thanked him in such a way spoke volumes, after all.

* * *

Hyuuga Neji remained absolutely still, feeling as if his Byakugan had betrayed him in some way. Why would—!? How could—!? His mind could not finish either thought, as he continued to watch the arrogant Uchiha brat disappear around a corner with a smug smirk on his face. It was  _just_ —!? How—!?

" _Kagome_ ," slipped from his mouth in a desperate whisper.

He felt sick.  _Disgusted_. Tormented with the sight of Higurashi Kagome's smooth lips pressing against an  _Uchiha's_  face. And, he was positive he could feel his heart beginning to break inside his chest.

" _Why?_ " The word tumbled from his mouth without remorse, allowing those around him to feel his pain. It allowed them to know that he, the Hyuuga prodigy, could break. He could  _feel_ , and it hurt more than he ever thought it would.

Neji lowered his gaze, the Byakugan disappearing as he felt the sting of water gather at the corner of his eyes. But, he refused to cry. What reason did he have to cry? Because that damn Uchiha somehow managed to shift his precious Kagome's gaze onto the arrogant Uchiha clan?

His mind working frantically, the Hyuuga boy felt anger erupt in his chest. How dare that Uchiha try to take what he had claimed?! How  _dare_  he play with Kagome's heart just to obtain her?! How  _dare_  he ignore what she needed for his own gain?!

It was clear to Neji that he could not rely on Kagome's oblivious nature anymore. The Higurashi girl was falling too far, the Uchiha was pushing her too hard, and eventually her oblivious nature would disappear. She would fall for Uchiha Sasuke if he did not do something about it. She would escape his grasp if he did not at least attempt to drag her back.

The Uchiha had done too far, anyway. It was time that Neji finally pounded in the fact that the Hyuuga clan was superior. It was time that he showed the Uchiha exactly why Kagome would not stray from his side. It was  _time_  that the Uchiha was beaten damn near into his grave for purposely pursuing that which he could  _not_  have.

Satisfied with the line of thought, Neji came to the decision that he would deal with the situation  _now_. There would be no more waiting. He needed to pull Kagome's attention back onto himself before it was too late. He needed to eliminate the competition before it actually became  _competition_.

His eyes narrowing, Neji felt the Byakugan spring to life. And with ease, he located the Uchiha's location to his right. The damn brat would  _never_  be able to hide from his sight, and now that Neji had set his mind on destroying him, he would  _never_  escape.

Not until he held Higurashi Kagome's heart between his fingers.


	15. Rivalry

"Hey, Kagome-nee-chan, why is your face all  _red_?" Souta asked innocently. His sister had come home some time ago, yet she could not seem to leave the window or remove the coloration from her face. And, admittedly, it worried him.

" _Oh_ ," she immediately replied, waving her hand, "it's nothing, Souta!"

The youngest Higurashi frowned. His sister was  _clearly_  lying.

" _Really!?_ " she laughed nervously. "It's nothing you need to worry about, ok, Souta?"

"Kagome-nee-chan, I'm only going to ask one more time," Souta stated  _very_  seriously. " _Why_  is your face all red?"

"And I told you," she growled back, "it's  _nothing_."

"Uh huh," the young boy snorted.

"I mean it, it's  _nothing_!" Kagome made sure to stress the last word, hoping that it would pound itself into her brother's head. Because,  _seriously_ , she did not want to explain to him what had happened in the market. How she had—!? How she  _had_ —!?

Souta continued to eye her for some time, before once again saying, " _Uh huh_."

" _Ugh_ , you just  _wouldn't_  understand!" she finally snapped.

Wrinkling his nose up, Souta replied, "Kagome-nee-chan, I hate to say this, but you're acting like such a  _girl_. You're supposed to be a big, strong kunoichi, but you're  _just_ —"

Glaring fiercely at her younger brother, Kagome was pleased to see him pale. The fact that he stopped talking was nice, too. "Really, now,  _Souta_ , you  _noticed_  that I'm a girl?" she hissed.

"I-I didn't—" Souta stuttered. Then, as Kagome's glare became harsh, he yelled, "Mama,  _mama_ , Kagome-nee-chan's being mean  _again_!!"

Her jaw dropping open, the girl snapped, "I am  _not_ , you stupid little brat!"

" _Mama—!?_ " Souta cried, trying desperately to catch his mother's attention when he noticed the monster his sister had turned into was rushing at him. However, even trying to roll to the side did not prevent his sister from latching onto him, her arm looping around his neck, as she pulled him into a strangle hold.

" _Ouch!_ " Kagome hissed in pain, as her brother's foot stomped down on her exposed toes. "That  _hurt_ , you stupid, inconsiderate—!"

"Hey, hey,  _hey_!" The youngest Higurashi kicked recklessly, willing to hit whatever he could in order to get Kagome to release him from her grip. "Let me  _go_ , you  _fat, stupid, lame_ — _!_ "

The insults continued to spew from Souta's mouth, and Kagome finally shrieked, " _What'd you call me!?!_ " She could  _not_  believe that her brother had the audacity to call her, of  _all_ people,  _lame_. She protected his little butt whenever he needed help,  _and_  she constantly made sure he understood what their grandfather was trying to teach them. How  _dare_  he call her  _lame_!?!

" _Mama, mama!?!_ " Souta called.

" _You're nothing more than a whiny, stupid little_ jerk _!_ " Kagome snarled. " _How dare—!?!_ "

Higurashi-san chose that moment to appear in the doorway, frowning at the sight before her eyes. Then, when her daughter looked ready to bite at her son's ear, she called out to them. Her voice was controlled, but deadly, as she said, "Higurashi Kagome, you release your brother this  _instant_!"

Clamping her mouth shut, the girl immediately did as her mother demanded. She knew better then to question her, even if she wanted to teach Souta a lesson in respect. Really, _really_  badly, in fact. To the point that the lesson would forever be engraved into his young mind, and he would  _never_  question her word again. To the point that—!

"What have I told you two about fighting?" Higurashi-san asked.

Underneath her lashes, Kagome glared heatedly at Souta's back.

" _Well_ , I'm waiting." Higurashi-san's glare was enough to urge her youngest into speaking, despite the second shiver that racked through his body.

" _B_ -but, mama—" the old-fashioned pout and finger point  _had_  to work! "—Kagome started it!"

" _What_  have I told you?" Higurashi-san asked. Neither of them would get a  _forth_  chance.

Finally, Kagome mumbled, " _Not to_."

"Exactly." Higurashi-san nodded in satisfaction. "So, would either of you care to tell me  _why_  I found you doing what I explicitly told you  _not_  to?"

Immediately, manipulated by his mother's guilt trip, Souta began, " _Well_ , I wanted to know why Kagome was all red, mama. She has been since she's gotten here, you know. But, she avoided the question. I was going to let it go, mama, but  _Kagome_  had to act all high and mighty by saying that nothing was wrong.  _So_ , I—"

"That's quite enough, Souta," Higurashi-san said. Then, turning her eyes onto her daughter, she asked, "Do you have anything to say for yourself, young lady?"

"He—" The girl  _would_  have continued, but her mother's stare was enough to tell her that she needed to keep her mouth shut. So, instead, Kagome whispered, " _No_."

"Since I heard what happened—" Higurashi-san eyed Souta with amusement as he slumped. The pout had  _not_  worked on her for quite some time now. "—you  _both_  are going to be punished. Souta, for goading your sister into a fight, you will have to practice throwing your shuriken until I tell you to stop. I know you don't like to, but you're  _going_  to, do you understand?"

"Ah,  _but_ , mama!" Souta tried.

"Don't argue with me, young man," Higurashi-san scowled softly, shaking her head.

Defeated, Souta finally sniffled, "Yes, mama."

"And, Kagome," Higurashi-san continued after a moment, "you will pull the weeds from the garden instead of making Naruto do it. Then, after you've done, you will go practice your new lightning technique until I call you in for dinner." Noticing the scowl on Kagome's face, she added, "Don't give me that look, young lady. You started the fight instead of controlling yourself, so it's only fair that you receive a harsher punishment."

Both children nodded, knowing they could not escape the punishment their mother had issued. They had tried,  _once_ , only to realize that they still had to return home eventually because everything they loved and cared about was centered around or near her. And they would  _never_  try such a stupid stunt again, considering how sad and angry they had made her.

"Remember not to take too long to start—" Higurashi-san's smile told them exactly who Kagome had inherited her somewhat sadistic nature from, "—otherwise I might decide to lengthen the time you're both outside."

Kagome waited until her mother had stepped back into the kitchen, before she bopped her brother on the head. She growled, "This is all  _your_  fault."

" _Mama—!_ " Souta immediately cried.

Quickly, Kagome latched onto her brother's arm. She dragged him outside, even while he struggled and wailed, and glanced over her shoulder a couple times to make sure their mother had not followed them. She was  _not_  going to let the little brat wrap their mother anymore around his puny little finger, that was for sure!?

Besides, it was not like she was  _hurting_ him,  _much_.

* * *

Where had that idiot gone?

As he trekked forward, Sasuke felt his anger rise a little more with each passing step. Naruto had told him that he would wait to tell him what they could do next depending on Kagome's reaction, but  _clearly_  the Uzumaki did not get his own memo. Which,  _really_ , made the entire situation the  _dumbest_  move that Uzumaki Naruto had  _ever_  conceived.

Yes, he  _was_  very happy with Higurashi Kagome's reaction. And,  _yes_ , he was very happy to say that soon he would be able to tell everyone and anyone that he, Uchiha Sasuke, had won her affection.  _But_ , that did  _not_  mean that the blonde shinobi-in-training would be saved from his wrath once he found him.

Who in the  _world_  forgot their  _own_  plan?!

Sighing heavily through his nose, the Uchiha boy decided to continue his search. His mother would have dinner on the table by six o'clock—the Uchiha matriarch was  _always_  ready by six o'clock—which  _did_  give him some time to spare. However, he did not particularly  _like_  wasting his time searching for someone that  _should_  have come to him. He could be training—picturing his future with Kagome or trying desperately to recapture the moment of her lips pressing against his cheek!—but,  _instead_ , he was forced to search for an idiot.

It was just his luck, Sasuke supposed. Whenever that stupid Naruto even  _stepped_  into his presence, it was like the whole world crashed down around him. And, he was positive, it all started when he decided to show Kagome that he was a much better shinobi than Naruto would ever be.

That had  _definitely_  been his worst plan  _ever_ —!

" _Uchiha Sasuke_." The voice hissed low, dangerously, and the Uchiha boy stopped the moment he recognized it. "I think you and I need to have a little  _chat_."

Smirking arrogantly, Sasuke turned on his heel only slightly and gifted the other person with a flash from the corner of his eye. He then, tilting his face toward the sky, asked, "And, enlighten me,  _please_ , as to  _why_  I would want to speak with someone like  _you_ ,  _Hyuuga Neji_?"

The Byakugan seemed to pulse, while the Hyuuga boy shifted on his foot. He growled, "Don't play dumb with me."

Sasuke's smirk was quickly replaced with a scowl. The Hyuuga honestly believed he, Uchiha Sasuke, was trying to avoid him? He had no reason to avoid  _any_  Hyuuga, let alone the supposed prodigy that thought he could win a girl's heart by openly  _stalking_  her. So, he replied, "I think you've forgotten  _who_  you're speaking to."

"Oh,  _yes_ ," Neji snorted, "the brilliant Uchiha Sasuke, who, if memory serves me well, cannot even use the famous Sharingan."

A growl escaped Sasuke's throat. The Hyuuga had taken a low swing with that one. But, he refused to let it affect him, since he had mastered the fireball technique and was above his silly little antics. Even if he wanted desperately to strangle the arrogant Hyuuga until he turned blue.

Having heard the sound, Neji continued by saying, "It would seem that my memory  _is_  working just fine. Yours, however, appears to forgotten one  _simple_  and important fact."

"Or,  _maybe_ , you're just—"

The other boy cut him off, snarling, "Higurashi Kagome is meant to be  _mine_ , Uchiha. How  _dare_  you try to change what is inevitable?"

Annoyed with the Hyuuga instantly, Sasuke childishly snapped, "I don't see your name on her. A ring on her finger!" Then, smirking on once, he added, "In fact, from where  _I'm_ standing, she's accepting my pursuit. She wants it, which means there has  _never_  been a  _Hyuuga Neji_  in the picture."

Neji took a threatening step forward, his hand charged with chakra. "You cannot change what is meant to happen, Uchiha, but I am tired of your selfish desires being directed at Kagome. You will either give up on this foolish path, or I will beat the lesson into you."

"I'd like to  _see_  you try," the Uchiha boy sneered.

The lavender-eyed boy shifted his body entirely, easily slipping into the familiar Hyuuga stance. The Gentle Fist style was second nature to him, and he was more than willing to use it in order to pound into the Uchiha standing before him.

Uchiha Sasuke would not be intimidated. He did not care what the blasted Hyuuga thought, Kagome did  _not_  belong to him, and even if, by some miracle, the Hyuuga managed to actually  _hit_  him, he would not back down. He needed Higurashi Kagome more than the Hyuuga could ever understand, more than he himself did at times, and he would not give her up for anything in the world.

"I suggest you rethink your decision," Neji warned him. If the Uchiha thought he would hold back, he was wrong. He knew the consequences of attacking an Academy student, but he was prepared to have them thrust upon him. He would show the other boy his place in the world, even if he were forced to withstand Hiashi's wrath in the end.

Neji would  _never_  regret his decision.

His onyx colored eyes narrowing, Sasuke hissed, "I suggest  _you_  leave before I show you  _why_  the Uchiha clan is superior to the Hyuuga clan."

"Why don't we test that fact?" The Hyuuga boy did not give the Uchiha a chance to react, as he rushed forward. His chakra charged hand thrust outward once he was close enough, nearly finding its mark in the Uchiha's arm before it was awkwardly batted aside. Neji smirked, though, because he knew that even an indirect hit to the chakra system would serve him well.

Despite his slow reaction the first time, Sasuke quickly knocked Neji's second attack aside by grabbing his wrist and shoving his arm to the side. His father had made sure to give him a thorough lesson on the Hyuuga's Gentle Fist style, and he knew that allowing Neji a direct hit could have dire consequences. But, he was caught off guard by the Hyuuga's speed and surprised as Neji's hand dug into his stomach.

Neji's smirk widened, while the Uchiha hunched forward over his arm. He instantly grabbed onto his arm, making sure he could not move, before leaning toward his ear and saying, "I told you, Uchiha, you cannot change the future. You might as well give up right now and walk away with your tail between your legs."

Growling at his own stupidity, Sasuke ripped himself away from the Hyuuga and jumped as far away from him as he could. If he could get some distance, he could perform the fireball technique before the Hyuuga could reach him a second time. And as long as he could  _keep_  the Hyuuga at a distance, he knew he had a fair chance of defeating him.

Snake-Tiger-Boar—Neji's Byakugan pulsed, his eyes quickly recognizing the Uchiha clan's favorite technique. He shifted his feet, waiting for the other boy to unleash the technique before he moved. With his speed and the distance, he could easily avoid the first blast of fire and reach the arrogant brat before he could unleash it a second time.

Chakra building in his system, Sasuke locked his fingers in the Tiger seal, and—

" _Neji_ , my rival, there you are!?"

Smoke billowed from the corners of Sasuke's mouth, as his chakra faltered with the shout. His throat immediately began to throb from the abuse, and he could do nothing but grip his neck in hopes that the pain would pass quickly. Though, admittedly, after purposely screwing up the technique to gain Higurashi Kagome's attention so many times, it did not hurt as much as he thought it would.

Neji paused, feeling the chakra flooding into his hands dissipate.

"I have been sent to retrieve you by Gai-sensei!" Lee continued. "But, I never expected to find you spreading your glorious youth to the Academy students! You truly are a—!"

" _Lee_ ," Neji growled.

"—and then your youth will  _truly_  shine through—!"

He twitched a little, refusing to relax his stance with the Uchiha still in the vicinity.

Sasuke smirked at the Hyuuga's predicament, despite the pain in his throat. If that was not fate, he did not know what was.

Water gathered in Lee's eyes, while he stared at the Hyuuga prodigy. "You truly are a genius, Neji, giving up so much of your precious time in order to help those struggling through the Academy! Oh, if only I could—!"

Unable to hear another word, Neji snapped, " _Lee!?_ "

" _Eh?_ " Lee blinked, losing his train of thought.

"Why are you here, Lee?" Neji asked. He could  _not_  believe this was happening!? He needed to teach the Uchiha that he could  _never_  be competition for him, yet Lee was ruining his plan!? Was the taijutsu specialist really so idiotic?!?

" _Oh_ , yes!" Lee nodded. "Gai-sensei sent me to find you! He has such  _wonderful_  news!"

" _And?_ " Neji made a gesture with his hand, trying to tell Lee, silently, the importance of the situation. He could not leave. Not until he had proven to the Uchiha that Kagome's heart was meant to sit between  _his_  fingers.

"We, my youthful rival, have  _finally_  been chosen for a mission outside of the village!" Lee's smile widened. He knew that Neji had been training for the moment they would finally be allowed to leave the village, and he was certain that he would be excited. So, the frown on his face did not concern him.

Uchiha Sasuke's onyx colored eyes suddenly gleamed in delight. This was  _perfect_.

Neji felt his blood run cold, his hostile stance finally relaxing in shock. " _What?_ " he whispered. They were going to be traveling outside of the village? Outside of the village, far,  _far_ away from Higurashi Kagome and the wicked Uchiha Sasuke trying to steal her away? Somewhere where he could do nothing but hope his precious Kagome would see the pain she was putting him through and understand,  _acknowledge_ , how he felt?

Mistaking Neji's stance, Lee grinned, saying, "I knew you'd be excited. Now, come on, we must hurry before Gai-sensei decides that only TenTen is worthy of such a great opportunity!!"

 _This_ —this was just—

When the Hyuuga boy did not turn to follow him, Lee asked, " _Neji_ —?"

 _No_.

"—are you alright?"

 _No._  Neji shook his head in denial. This could not happen to him. It could  _not_  happen to him. Higurashi Kagome was supposed to be with him—she was  _meant_  to be!—yet it seemed like the entire world was now against him. Like that single moment when he had touched her lips meant nothing. Like— _like_ —

"Well," Sasuke smirked, "if you  _must_  be going, I certainly won't keep you waiting."

As the Uchiha walked away, Neji found that he could not do the same.

"Neji?" Lee asked in concern. He had  _never_  seen his rival look so broken.

His chest hurt, he realized, as Lee called out to him time and again in an attempt to gain a response. It ached, desperately crying out for the Higurashi girl that just would  _not_  see what he needed her to see, and watching the Uchiha's arrogant form only made it worse. Yet, it was not broken.

It just hurt  _so much_.

Almost as if his heart recognized something that he could not.

* * *

"T-there you are!" Naruto panted. "I've been looking everywhere fo—!"

Without hesitation, the Uchiha boy allowed his hand to connect with the back of the Uzumaki's head.

" _Hey!?_ " Naruto quickly lowered himself to the ground in case there was another attack, his hands moving to protect his head the best they could. " _What the hell was that for?!_ "

"Where the  _hell_  have you been?" Sasuke spat. "You said you would stay on the roof!"

"Don't blame this on me!?" Naruto yelled. "There was this crazy kunoichi that lived in that building, and she came up to water the plants or something! She saw me and started screaming about insolent children or something like that! I don't really know, I just know that my head hurts even worse now thanks to  _you_!"

Deciding that the other boy was telling the truth, Sasuke finally scoffed, "Whatever. That's not why I'm here. You promised that by the time I got back, you'd have another plan of action, so, tell me, what  _is_  it?"

"A-another plan?" The blonde shinobi-in-training laughed a little, asking, "Did I really say I'd have  _another_  plan?"

"You  _don't_?" Uchiha Sasuke could practically see red. He had wandered around the village for  _this_?!

Huffing at the Uchiha's glare, Naruto hissed, "You can't  _really_  believe I can come up with another brilliant plan on the spot! Things like this take time! Preparation!  _Especially_  when the person the plan is directed at is someone like Kagome!"

"I should have  _known_ ," Sasuke sighed. Really, he should have. This was Naruto. He was lucky to have gotten a  _few_  good ideas out of the idiot.

"Hey, don't look at me like  _that_!" Naruto demanded. "I can come up with another plan, I just need a little time to think about it, ok! And,  _another thing_ , if you weren't so demanding, I could—!"

" _Shut up_ ," Sasuke growled. He had been quite pleased with himself after learning that Hyuuga Neji would be leaving the village, but  _now_ , he was  _not_  in the mood.

" _Don't tell me to shut up!?!_ " Naruto shrieked. " _I have as much right to speak as you do!?!_ "

The dark haired Uchiha ignored his little rant, twisting on his heel to leave. It had been a waste of his time, obviously, to find the idiotic Naruto. Because, seriously, all that time and he could not come up with  _one_  single idea?!

" _Where are you going?!_   _I'm_ not _done yet!_ "

Casting a dark glance in the blonde's direction, Sasuke stated, "If you don't have another plan, there's no reason for me to stand here for the rest of the night. I'm going home, whether  _you_  like it or not." The idiot glared at him suddenly, but really, he should consider himself lucky that Sasuke decided to reply at all.

As the Uchiha boy walked away, Naruto scowled at his back. The Uchiwa fan seemed to mock him along the way, but it was in that moment that  _it_  hit him. " _That's it!_ "

Curious, Sasuke came to a stop and asked, "What's it?"

"You need to give Kagome something important to you!" Naruto smiled. He was a  _genius_! "Well, maybe not important to  _you_ , but something that will show her that you  _really_  mean it. Like something that only someone in your clan could give someone else, you know. That will  _really_ show her that you're serious!"

Frowning, Sasuke asked, "What should I give her?"

"I  _don't_  know," Naruto shrugged. "I'm not an Uchiha."

"Then how is this going to help me?" Sasuke demanded.

"I  _just_  told you!" Naruto shook his head. "I mean, you don't have to give it to her right away, but it's something that you should start thinking about. If you give Kagome something from your clan, or from yourself, that is really important to you and she  _knows_  it, then you'll probably sweep her completely off her feet!"

As simple as the plan was, Sasuke, for the life of him, could not think of something that might do so. He had very few items that were really important to him, but he doubted that any of them would show the Higurashi girl that he wanted to have her love and give her his in return. She probably would not understand what the gesture meant unless he explained to her how the item was important to him, and he  _really_  did not want to do that.

"There has to be something," Naruto mumbled, "we'll just have to think of it."

"There isn't  _really_ —"

"I know!" Naruto smiled. "You can ask someone in your family. Your father's the Uchiha Head, so one of them  _has_  to know of something that can help you!"

Despite the blonde's smile, Sasuke frowned a little more. It  _was_  the best plan, admittedly, but it was also the worse. Asking his father was out of the question, since he planned to only tell him his plan to marry Higurashi Kagome once he had her heart. His mother was a bad choice, since she would probably have the urge to tell everyone and anyone that her precious little boy had finally found a girl worthy of his attention. And, narrowing down the list, that left one person that would not give away his secret or mock him about it.

His elder brother, Itachi.

_Damn it._


	16. One on One

One, two. One, two, twist, flick. One, two. One, two, twi—

" _Hey_ , Souta, can you tell me where Kagome is?"

Startled, Souta nearly stabbed himself with the shuriken that he had pulled from his holster during his spin. His sharp instinct forced him to release the deadly weapons before they could inflict damage, though, and he watched the shuriken fall just short of the target he had set up.

"That wasn't half bad!" Naruto cheered. "You almost hit it!"

Tears of frustration sprang into Souta's eyes, as he rounded angrily on the blonde shinobi-in-training. "Can't you see that I'm trying to practice here?" His poor shuriken were embedded in the dirt because of him! "You can't just start yelling when people are trying to concentrate,  _stupid_!"

Stiffening, Naruto grinned nervously. " _Uh_ , Souta, I didn't mean—!"

"I have  _no idea_  how Kagome-nee-chan stands you!" Souta continued to rant. "You're such an  _annoyingly stupid idiot_!"

" _Eh?_ " Naruto was at a complete loss. "I,  _uh_ —"

"Just stop talking!" Souta hissed. "Just  _stop_!"

Reaching up to adjust his goggles subconsciously, Naruto said, "Souta, I only wanted to,  _uh_ —"

" _Spit it out, you idiot!_ "

"Hey!" Naruto scowled. "I  _just_  want to know where Kagome is!"

Gazing intently at Naruto's flustered form, Souta felt his anger drain away slowly. His sister was the reason he was forced to practice with his shuriken, so he should be angry with her. He should  _not_  be trying to take it out on her friend, despite how stupid he could act at times.

" _Well?_ " Naruto asked, impatient.

The young Higurashi shrugged, saying, "I don't know."

Noticing Souta's foul mood, Naruto blinked in wonder. "Are you  _sure_  you don't know?" he asked. "I really want to ask her if—"

"I  _don't_  know, and I  _don't_  care!" Souta shouted. He did  _not_  want to talk about Kagome any more. She could rot under a rock for all he cared, and he  _really_  hoped that fact was pounded into Naruto's stupid head!

"What'd she do to you?"

"She got me in trouble!" Souta snapped. "Mama's making me throw these stupid shuriken because of her, and I  _hate_ her!"

Frowning, Naruto said, "Now,  _come on_ , Souta, you can't mean tha—"

Souta scowled a little more, as the dark forest surrounding them suddenly lit up with a bright yellow flash. The sound of thunder rolled across the land a moment later, causing the ground to tremble, and he huffed. Kagome  _always_  had to be so dramatic, but at least Uzumaki Naruto had finally shut up.

Laughing a little, Naruto nearly choked on his tongue. It always startled him a little when someone in the Higurashi family performed a lightning technique near him. But that one made it clear that his best friend was really,  _really_  annoyed. "Well,  _um_ , I guess that answers my question, huh?"

" _Whatever_ ," Souta huffed.

"I'll,  _uh_ , see you around, Souta!" Naruto grinned.

As if he cared.

Shifting underneath Souta's blank stare, Naruto scratched his neck and decided it was best to get out of there as soon as possible. He did not know why, but he always seemed to get the impression that Souta did not like him very much. So, without another word, he bound away from the youngest member of the Higurashi family and into the forest.

"Idiot," finally fell from Souta's mouth, as he returned to his shuriken practice.

* * *

"What are we going to do?!" an Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club member sniffled.

Another nodded, desperation clear in her voice as she said, " _Yeah_ , without Leiko here, how are we—?!"

"We don't  _need_  Leiko!" Asuka assured them. "We managed well enough on our own in the past, and we'll do so again now! Besides, even if that blonde bitch—" Ino was  _clearly_  on her list of people to hate, "—and Leiko were still here, that doesn't mean we'd fair any better!"

Mayu snorted, saying, "I  _knew_  Leiko's plan was rotten from the start."

"Oh,  _shut up_ , Mayu," Asuka hissed.

"I have to agree with Asuka, Mayu—" Reina could not  _help_  but stick her nose into the fray, "—because, if I remember correctly, and I know I do, you went along with Leiko's plan from the beginning. You thought it was  _absolutely_  brilliant! So, why don't you keep your mouth shut until we decide how to fix our  _little_  problem?"

" _How dare—?!_ " Mayu began to snarl.

Sakura pulled nervously at the red ribbon holding her hair back, as she tried to assess the situation in front of her. She was not used to controlling the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club all by herself, and the thought alone was making her self-conscious. And, for a brief moment, she  _really_  wished that Ino would stroll into the clearing the club had chosen so long ago and take command of the bickering bunch.

"Don't yell at Reina just because she's  _right_ , Mayu!"

Mayu rolled her eyes at the comment, stating, "You're  _such_  an idiot, Emiko."

Emiko's face began to turn red, as she gasped in outrage. "How can you say something so  _terrible_ , Mayu?" she asked.

"Terrible, terrible,  _terrible_ ," Mayu mumbled, mocking the other girl. Emiko was  _nearly_  as bad as Asuka, truthfully. Perhaps if she were not so dramatic all the time— _no_ , even then, Mayu knew, Emiko would be as annoying as she always was!

" _Look_   _at us_ , we're fighting like a bunch of children," a girl pouted. "What would Ino say if she saw us li—?"

" _Who cares!_ " Asuka growled. "Ino  _isn't_  a part of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club  _any more_ , and I say that her name should be  _banned_  from ever being said again, if you ask me! She doesn't  _deserve_  to be mentioned within the sanctuary of  _true_  Uchiha Sasuke followers!"

"You've got that  _right_ ," Mayu nodded. "Personally, I don't think Ino  _or_  Leiko should ever be mentioned again. I mean, they both basically  _deserted_  us when we needed them the most!"

"B- _but_  we've still got Sakura!" a fan girl called from the back.

The pink haired kunoichi stiffened at the mention of her name.

Asuka brightened up, turning to look at their lone president. "That's right," she said happily. "We've  _still_  got Sakura! And, according to the rules of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club, it's about time that Sakura decided who will stand as her vice-president!"

"W- _what?!_ " Sakura gapped. Nervously, she tugged a little more at her ribbon.

Asuka's grin faded a little, as she asked, "You haven't forgotten, have you, Sakura? As club president, it's your duty to choose someone to stand beside you if, in a situation such as this, the original president can no longer perform her duties."

Sakura nodded, rolling her eyes. She  _knew_  that. But, to appease Asuka, she said, " _Oh_ , right. Of course, how could I have forgotten?"

"So?" Asuka asked, grinning again. "Who will it be?"

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club brightened as a collective unit, gazing upon Sakura with hungry eyes. Each and every girl within the fan club wanted the title of president. They wanted the special priviledges that came with being president: the chance to sit next to Sasuke during Academy hours, the first pick on Uchiha Watch, and the ability to make the rest of the club follow each and every command they gave.

All of them  _needed_  that title.

" _Uh_ , well," Sakura bit the inside of her lip, "I haven't given it much thought yet."

Mayu frowned, asking, "What do you mean,  _you haven't given it much_ thought _yet_ —?"

" _Well_ —" Sakura was quickly cut off.

"—There  _has_  to be someone here that you can trust as your vice-president, Sakura!" Mayu finished. She could not  _believe_  that Sakura had  _no one_  in mind. Seriously, was her big forehead getting in the  _way_  of her thought process or had she just turned  _stupid_?!

Reina sighed, flicking her head over her shoulder. She said, "I really don't think we should worry about Sakura picking another president at the moment. There is  _still_  the matter of _what_  we're going to do about Higurashi Kagome!"

The Sasuke fan girls quieted a bit, flustered immediately by the mere mention of Higurashi Kagome's name.

"I-I,  _uh_ , really think that we should just forget about Higurashi Kagome," one girl said. She stiffened when the other Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club members turned to glare at her. "I mean, _uh_ , well—" she gulped, "—you were all called into Sandaime-sama's office, weren't you? He doesn't want us fighting with other Academy students anymore, so I  _really_  think that we should just wait for this to blow over. Sasuke-kun will probably grow bored with Higurashi soon enough anyway!"

" _Blow over?!_ " Mayu shrieked once the girl had finished. She could  _not_  believe that someone could be so completely  _stupid_! "Sasuke-kun's being dragged into Higurashi Kagome's web and you  _think_ it's just going to blow over?! This is Sasuke-kun we're talking about, any girl would kill to have him!"

"But—!" The girl was desperate. Her father would  _kill_  her if he found out she planned to attack another Academy student  _again_. "—didn't you hear what Higurashi was trying to tell Leiko?! She doesn't  _want_  Sasuke-kun!"

"You're a  _fool_!" Mayu snapped. "Higurashi Kagome's an evil,  _evil_  girl! There's  _no_  way she's going to let Sasuke-kun go  _unless_  we do something about her!"

" _Yeah_ ," Asuka butted in. "Any  _true_  Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club member would  _want_  to get rid of Higurashi Kagome  _as soon as possible_! Are you trying to tell us that you'd rather follow _Ino_  and  _Leiko_ 's example, and  _stop_  being an Uchiha Sasuke follower, Izumi?!"

" _No!_ " Izumi shouted. "It's just my father, he'll—!"

" _Anyone that_ really _loved Sasuke-kun wouldn't let anything get in the way of what they feel!_ " Mayu nodded vigorously after she made her point, trying to pound the fact into the other kunoichi-in-training's head.

"It's just— _my_ —I don't— _my_ —" Izumi burst into tears suddenly.

Sakura was instantly on her feet. She could  _not_  just stand by while the club fell to pieces and attacked one another! " _Enough!_ "

The shock that came with Sakura's cry caused the fan club to quiet once more.

" _Look at what you've done_ ," Sakura hissed. The fan girls shifted with guilt beneath her angry green stare. "You've made Izumi cry, and the number one rule in the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club is that  _all_  members will be treated equally  _despite_  a difference in opinion! Or have you forgotten that already?"

"We didn't mean—" Asuka began.

" _Shut up_ , Asuka!" Sakura snapped. Then, she continued, saying, "We will deal with Higurashi Kagome when we're ready, but now is  _not_  the time to be attacking one another! No, let me rephrase that, there is  _never_  a time when you should be attacking one another! Our goal is to make sure that one of us obtains Sasuke-kun's heart, and we should be striving to achieve that goal,  _not_  bullying each other! Do you  _understand_?"

The rest of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club remained silent, nodding. Sakura  _was_  right. Just as she should be! She  _was_  the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club  _president_ , after all!

* * *

"Itachi, dear—"

The Uchiha glanced up, giving his mother his undivided attention.

"—will you go check on Mitsue for me? She's been rather ill lately, and I haven't been able to find the time to see how she is doing," Mikoto asked, smiling softly. She knew that her eldest child did not like Mitsue all that much, but she also knew that Itachi would at least ask about the woman's health for her.

Itachi slowly closed his onyx colored eyes. There were very few people within the Uchiha clan that had earned his respect, and Uchiha Mitsue was  _not_  one of them. That woman, for all he cared, could find herself face down in a river somewhere. But that, he knew, would greatly upset his mother. At last, he nodded, saying, "Of course, mother."

"Thank you, dear," the Uchiha matriarch replied.

Without so much as a goodbye, Itachi left his mother standing in the kitchen by herself. He would treat his current task like a mission, and he knew that his mother understood and respected that. She had been a powerful kunoichi once, after all, and it had been her knowledge about shinobi life that stayed her hand when his father originally began to train him.

Every now and then, Itachi wondered if she ever regretted that decision.

Retrieving his sandals near the front door, the off-duty ANBU slipped into them as he moved toward the door. He would need nothing else, and since the walk to Uchiha Mitsue's was rather short, he refused to waste chakra by transporting himself there. So, once his sandals were secure, Itachi reached for the doorknob and was somewhat surprised when it began to turn before he touched it.

Stepping back, the Uchiha heir avoided the door as it opened. He rarely let down his guard, but it became clear that he had as his younger brother stopped in the doorway and stared at him in surprise.

Sasuke's grip on the doorknob tightened, while his eyes narrowed. " _Itachi_."

"Sasuke." Itachi greeted him emotionlessly. He had become used to Sasuke's need to compete with him long ago, and the hostility in his voice turned into a natural occurrence over time. And,  _really_ , Itachi saw no reason to encourage Sasuke's wish to smash his fist into his face.

It  _was_  odd, though. Itachi had expected Sasuke to be following around the Higurashi girl he was slobbering all over. The day was not over, which gave him plenty of opportunities to fail to gain the girl's attention, yet he had returned home. That, Itachi was positive, meant that Sasuke had some reason to leave her side, something he felt was  _very_  important.

But, of course, Itachi did not practically care.

"Where are you going?" Sasuke asked.

" _Out_ ," Itachi replied. "Is there some reason you wish to know, Sasuke?"

"No," the young Uchiha boy snorted. "I just— _nevermind_."

Staring at his brother, Itachi did not feel the need to ask whether Sasuke wanted something or not. It was quite clear that he  _did_ , and eventually he would gain the courage to push aside his arrogance and ask his question. But, until then, Itachi had a mission to complete. "If there is nothing you want," Itachi said, "I would appreciate it if you would stop blocking the door, little brother."

" _You're_ …" Sasuke's sentence trailed off, as his grip tightened on the doorknob.

"Sasuke," Itachi nearly sighed, "isn't there something more productive you could be doing with your time?"

"Like  _what_?" Sasuke snapped. He should have known Naruto's plan could  _never_  work. Itachi's very presence irritated him beyond belief, and he hated the very thought of asking him what could be important enough to give to Higurashi Kagome.

"You are rather enamored with youngest Higurashi female, so perhaps you could go block her doorway for a while," Itachi suggested.

Sasuke blinked rapidly in shock. Had Itachi just made a  _joke_?!

Finally, Itachi  _did_  sigh. "Or, you could train for a while."

"I don't  _need_  to train at the moment," Sasuke growled.

Itachi did not have time to play his brother's game. For though it was true that he did not care for Uchiha Mitsue, he did not wish to keep their mother waiting when it was such a simple task. "Sasuke,  _move_."

"Why?" Sasuke childishly began. "What's  _so_  important that you have to be there right now?"

"If you must know, I am checking on Mitsue-san for mother," Itachi replied.

" _Mitsue?_ " Sasuke scoffed. Why in the world would Itachi agree to check on her?

"Yes, and unless  _you_  would rather complete the task, I suggest you move out of my way." Itachi stepped forward, trying to urge his brother to remove his presence from the doorway. However, it appeared that Sasuke wished to be extremely stubborn, for he only narrowed his eyes as he issued his silent command.

" _No_ ," the Uchiha boy said. He  _refused_  to be moved. Despite the fact that he hated Itachi's very presence most of the time, his current mission was  _for_  Kagome. It was designed to help him obtain her heart, and his feet would not move even when his mind screamed at him to leave Itachi's gaze.

The Sharingan flooded Itachi's dark eyes, while he stared down at his little brother. His gaze was analyzing, harsh, and he noticed immediately when Sasuke shifted nervously. But, he had anticipated the move for he knew that Sasuke had yet to obtain the Sharingan, and felt inferior beneath his glare. "Sasuke, what  _is it_  that you want?"

Turning his sight to the ground, Sasuke narrowed his onyx colored eyes. Itachi just  _had_  to throw the Sharingan in his face, mocking him. He  _had_  to remind him that he, Fugaku's youngest son, had yet to activate the Uchiha clan's kekkei genkai even four years after the age his brother had.

" _Sasuke_ ," Itachi warned.

Preparing himself the best he could, Sasuke finally muttered, "What could an Uchiha member give to someone important in their life?"

"You—" Itachi already knew the answer before the full question left his mouth, "—wish to give that Higurashi girl something from the Uchiha clan?"

Sasuke scowled, starting to say, "If you  _don't_  know—"

The off-duty ANBU member smirked in amusement, cutting his brother off. "You will first have to convince father that Higurashi Kagome is worthy of the Uchiha clan, otherwise you will never receive permission to give her anything, Sasuke. And even then, he may wish to test her until he believes she is worthy of your affection."

Clenching his fist, Sasuke snapped, "But, there has to be  _something_  that I could get without him knowing!"

Itachi dipped his head a little, stating, "Perhaps."

" _Tell me!_ " Sasuke demanded. He stepped forward, challenging his brother silently, though he doubted that Itachi would take the bait.

"If you cannot think of it yourself—" Itachi was surprised,  _again_ , with his brother's suddenly forceful nature. It appeared that his wish for the Higurashi girl's affection was finally giving him some backbone.

" _Tell me!_ " the young Uchiha snarled.

Finally, Itachi shrugged. "It is traditional for an Uchiha member to give someone they wish to court an Uchiwa fan. But, I'm sure if you tried hard enough, you could come up with something far more original, Sasuke."

"Are you implying that I  _can't_ —?"

"Not at all," Itachi cut him off once more. He wished to leave, yet it appeared that Sasuke was quite determined to keep him hostage—as amusing as the thought was—until he had filled his curiosity on the subject. But, really, had his brother  _forgotten_  all the lessons taught to him only a few years earlier?

"What could be more important than an Uchiwa fan?" Sasuke wanted to know.  _No_ , he needed to know. He needed to know that he finally held the key to opening Kagome's allusive heart, and that soon he would be able to hold her heart in his hand and call it his own.

"That is up to you, Sasuke." Itachi easily evaded the question. "What do you believe Higurashi Kagome would want from the Uchiha clan?"

" _I don't know!_ " Sasuke hissed instantly. If he did, there was  _no_  way anyone could have gotten him to humiliate himself in such a fashion.

"Then,  _perhaps_ , you don't deserve to obtain what you want," Itachi said evenly.

"And,  _what_  exactly is it that Sasuke wants, Itachi?"

Sasuke stiffened completely, turning his gaze onto his father. He began to grind his teeth afterward, wondering how much worse the day would become before he got the answer he wanted from his brother.

" _Itachi,_ " Uchiha Fugaku commanded.

Blinking away his Sharingan, Itachi continued to gaze at his younger brother's stiff form. Then, without hesitation, he said, "It is nothing of importance, father. Sasuke merely demanded that I show him a technique that I promised to teach him, but I am afraid that I cannot find the time at the moment. I must check on Mitsue-san for mother."

Though he refused to thank his brother, Sasuke felt grateful for the lie. He was not sure if he could have come up with one so quickly, and the hesitation might have ruined his plan entirely.

"I see." Fugaku was  _not_  convinced, but he decided to let it slide. "I have something that I want to speak with Sasuke about, so you may go, Itachi."

Itachi did not reply, as he slipped through the door and began the trek toward Uchiha Mitsue's home. And for the briefest of moments, he wished that Sasuke had been able to distract him a bit longer. But, he quickly shook the feeling away and returned to his task.

"Father," Sasuke said once he was gone.

Fugaku lifted a single brow, while he pulled a thin, white envelope from his vest. It was very clear, from the insignia imprinted on the front, what the envelope contained, and he had no doubt that Sasuke knew instantly what he wished to speak with him about.


	17. Academy Rank

The Academy rank. It came once every few weeks to inform parents and guardians of their pupil's progress, or lack thereof. And, depending on the pupil, parents and guardians were either very impressed or very upset whenever the letter arrived.

From Uchiha Fugaku's gaze, it would be quite clear to anyone that the Uchiha was  _not_  very impressed with his son's current score. And, if his flickering Sharingan was any indication, Sasuke would most definitely receive a severe punishment for attempting to further bury the Uchiha name after Leiko's little  _mishap_.

Frowning, Sasuke returned his father's gaze without hesitation. There was nothing he could say that might appease the older Uchiha, for he knew that his constant failure in ninjutsu and taijutsu class was the reason for his sudden fall in rank. And, no doubt, telling his father that he had failed on purpose time after time would only serve to anger him further.

There was no time for that. Not when he was  _so close_  to obtaining what he needed.

"I am sure you are aware, Sasuke—" Fugaku did not miss the moment his son crumpled the letter with his rank on it, "—how displeased I am at this moment."

Sasuke did not feel there was any reason to respond.

" _Third_ —!" Fugaku spat, his anger beginning to show. His son had  _never_  been removed from the number one rookie position! It was  _very_ disappointing to see it fall so close to graduation. "—beneath Sasaki Kohaku _and_  Aburame Shino!"

Shifting only a little, Sasuke wondered when the explosion would occur. His father was a very quiet man by nature. He did not feel the need to raise his voice often, for it was clear that anyone and everyone in the Uchiha clan would perform whatever task he required. Yet, he was also a very aggressive man, and that fact, Sasuke knew, would be the reason his temper would finally soar.

"I do not want to be angry with you, Sasuke," Fugaku growled, his voice saying otherwise. "Despite what you might be thinking, I don't. But, after Leiko's little attempt, this is  _not_ something that can just be ignored. People talk, Sasuke. They spread lies without hesitation, and once word gets out that Leiko  _and_  you have fallen from grace, they will believe that the entire clan has become structurally unsound."

Sasuke waited. It would not be long now.

"We were already forced to undergo the Hyuuga clan's ridicule when that blasted fox attacked the village so many years ago," Fugaku continued. "We were forced to participate in extensive tests in order to prove that the Uchiha clan did  _not_  summon that blasted creature. And I will not, Sasuke, have the rest of the village think that that event weakened us to the point we cannot even train shinobi anymore."

A  _little_  more.

"Itachi would  _never_  have done something this foolish!"

There it was. Sasuke practically snarled beneath his breath, as his father began to rant about how  _Itachi_  would never disgrace the Uchiha clan.  _Itachi_  could do no wrong.  _Itachi_  was the perfect prodigy and son.  _Itachi_  this and  _Itachi_  that.

Sasuke knew that his failure to pass the Academy at,  _at least_ , the age of seven had officially made  _Itachi_  his father's favorite son. But, that knowledge had never really dampened the sheer disappointment that he felt every time his father chose to look upon  _Itachi_  whenever he, Sasuke, accomplished something. Almost as if he was mocking him, silently, with the fact that his brother had managed to accomplish every  _single_  thing he had ever accomplished in half the time.

And that, in Sasuke's opinion, was all the  _more_  reason to hate his brother.

" _Sasuke_ ," Fugaku scowled, "are you paying attention to what I'm saying?"

"Yes, father." Sasuke never failed to answer immediately.

Fugaku allowed his Sharingan to finally come to the surface, filling his eyes with crimson, while he gazed upon his son. "Don't lie to  _me_ , boy," Fugaku snapped.

Sasuke stiffened completely, as he narrowed his onyx colored eyes upon his father. He did  _not_  care that he was glaring, quite literally, at the man that had spawned him. He had performed the Uchiha clan's signature fireball technique long ago and that  _alone_  made him his father's equal. How  _dare_  he speak to him as if he was some kind of child!?

Slowly, a smirk spread onto Fugaku's face. Even if Sasuke had fallen from the number one rookie position, his pride and arrogance would never diminish. Uchiha blood ran swiftly through his veins, and pride had been etched into his very soul. And that was something for Fugaku to be proud of.

"Are we  _done_?" Sasuke asked.

"No," the older Uchiha stated. "I still want to know  _why_  you have suddenly fallen in rank, Sasuke. So,  _please_ , do enlighten me."

A scowl merely appeared on Sasuke's face.

" _Tell me_ , Sasuke—" Fugaku would  _not_  take lightly to such blatant disrespect for long, "—why has your score in taijutsu  _and_  ninjutsu class suddenly fallen? It is obvious that you are no longer trying, but I want to know  _why_."

Sasuke debated on his answer. He would not tell his father the truth, but he knew that one little slip could easily lead the other Uchiha to his true goal. And that was  _not_  acceptable. No one, not even his father, would stop him from obtaining Higurashi Kagome's love.

" _Now_ , Sasuke," Fugaku ordered.

"I have no reason," Sasuke finally said. It was not an answer his father would like, he knew that, but it was one that would keep him far from the truth that lie underneath the underneath.

Uchiha Fugaku stared long and hard at his youngest son. His blazing Sharingan ordered him to crack, but even beneath the chilling red eyes, Sasuke would not budge from his answer. He refused to be moved from his simple, disrespectful answer, and Fugaku decided, at last, that he should inform his son about the information he held.

Sasuke nearly stepped away when Fugaku smirked, blinking in confusion. The facial expression spoke volumes, and a terrible shiver raced up Sasuke's spine right before his father spoke again.

"It's because of that Higurashi girl,  _isn't it_?"

* * *

"Lightning Release: Electrification!"

Naruto watched, shivering, as Higurashi Kagome twisted on her foot and slammed the palm of her hands against the rough bark of a tree. In a dazzling display, lightning rushed across her skin and immediately entered the other organism. The tree lit up not long after, as lightning scorched the bark from the inside out until, finally, the entire tree caught fire.

Kagome jumped far away from the tree, her sharp eyes watching the flames as they danced upward toward the sky. Then, swiftly performing a series of hand seals, she shouted, "Water Release: Water Bullet Technique!"

"That tree must hate you—!" Kagome's technique hit the tree multiple times, dousing the flames, but she squeaked at the sudden voice, "—I mean, I've seen you try to kill that thing a hundred times over the years, and you've  _finally_  succeeded!"

Stumbling, Kagome gapped a little at Naruto's sudden appearance.

"Way to go, Kagome!" Naruto grinned.

" _Nar-u-to_ ," Kagome snorted. She was  _not_  in the mood to deal with anyone at the moment. And though Naruto was her best friend, he  _definitely_  fell under that category.

"Eh?" Naruto blinked. "What's gotten into you?"

"I'm practicing my newest lightning technique!" Kagome proudly announced. It was not entirely true. She  _was_  practicing her new lightning technique, but not because she wanted to, and because of that, that little brat Souta would get what he had coming to him soon enough.

Naruto eyed her suspiciously, muttering, "That's cool. But, are you practicing because you want to  _or_  because—?"

Kagome cut him off, snapping, " _Of course I want to!_ "

"All right," Naruto scowled. "You don't have to yell at me."

" _Oh_ ," Kagome frowned. "I'm sorry, Naruto, it's just my mother expects me to train until she calls me in for dinner. And, if I don't, she's probably going to make me skip the meal. She promised this morning to make oden tonight and I don't want to, you know, miss it."

Listening to her voice trail off, the shinobi-in-training quickly restarted the conversation. "Well, that's nice and all,  _but_  do you know what  _finally_  came in the mail today!"

"No, like I said, I've been  _practicing_  since—"

"Yeah, yeah, that's great!" Naruto grinned happily. "But, you  _have_  to read what I got, Kagome!" Quickly, he dug into his pocket, pulling forth an extremely wrinkled and somewhat torn piece of white paper from inside to wave in Kagome's face.

"Uh huh, I  _really_  want to do that." Kagome's voice was clearly sarcastic, but Naruto did not seem to notice. But, then again, there were many times when she wondered if Naruto noticed anything at all.

"It's happened, Kagome!  _It's happened_!" Naruto practically sang. He was  _so_  happy!

"And, what exactly has—?" Her eyebrow twitched a little when her blonde friend cut her off,  _again_.

" _Iruka-sensei_ finally _noticed how hard I've been working with the shadow clone technique!_ " The Uzumaki's bright blue eyes seemed to glitter in glee, while he hopped from one foot to the other. He expected his friend to brighten up the moment the sentence left his mouth, but disappointment quickly set into his brain when the Higurashi girl merely blinked at him curiously. " _Why aren't you excited about this?!_ "

"Give me that!" Kagome ordered. She snagged the paper from the air as it waved by her face, before beginning the tedious process of trying to remove the wrinkles that had nearly ruined the information. Then, her blue eyes sharp from her constant training, she began to skim over the words.

"Isn't it great?!" Naruto asked, excited.

"Naruto," Kagome said slowly, "you're still—"

"I know!" Naruto laughed. "It's great, right?  _Tell me_  it is!"

" _But_ ,  _Nar-u-to_ —" the black haired girl had  _long ago_  perfected the art of growling, "—you're  _still_  in the lowest rank slot."

"Bah!" Naruto waved his hand dismissingly. "I might be dead last  _right now_ , but I'll do something that will prove to Iruka-sensei what an awesome shinobi I'll be in the future. You'll see, Kagome! I will shoot up to the top and prove to this  _entire_  village that I deserve to be Hokage!"

"Naruto, you still have to—"

"Nah, nah, nah, nah,  _nah_!" Naruto stuffed his fingers into his ears, effectively blocking out whatever negative comment Kagome had planned to throw at him. He understood that she was upset with the fact that Higurashi-san was making her train to the bone, he even accepted it at the moment,  _but_  he was not about to let her attitude dampen his mood.

Huffing, Kagome crossed her arms over her chest. "See if I care," she stated.

"I will!" Naruto declared. He was twice as loud with his hearing blocked. "I will show everyone in this village that I deserve to sit in that old man's chair and—!"

Higurashi Kagome clamped a hand over his mouth, as she growled, "You're voice is  _way_  too loud, Naruto." Then, she practically screamed when his cold, slippery,  _wet_  tongue slid across the palm of her hand. "Oh my— _Ugh!_  You licked my hand,  _again_!"

Naruto laughed nervously, as Kagome glared at him murderously. "Uh, I think I'll just be—"

" _I'm gonna kill you, Uzumaki Naruto!_ "

"— _going!_ " Naruto finished with a yelp. He immediately turned tail and ran, hoping he could lose the kunoichi-in-training somewhere in the dense foliage.

Her eyes sharpening a little more, Kagome finished her series of hand seals as she chased after him. "Lightning Release—!" she shouted.

* * *

Higurashi-san was startled a little when a thick cloud of electricity shot up from the forest close to her home, the sound of thunder managing to rattle the floor. Then, with a sigh, she went to return to her task until she heard a terrified scream fill the air.

" _Kagome, no, don't do it!_ "

Frowning, Higurashi-san decided that she would leave Kagome to train a little longer than she had originally planned. After all, if her daughter had time to play around with Uzumaki Naruto, then she had more than enough energy to train well after dark.

* * *

His dark eyes widened a margin, as he stared, shocked, at the firm frown that finally settled onto his father's face. How  _did he_ —!? Sasuke was  _positive_  that he had done every  _little_ thing in his power to keep his father from  _ever_  knowing about his wish to obtain Higurashi Kagome's heart. He  _had_  combed through every little detail and made sure his father would not figure it out until he had her heart firmly tucked where he wanted it. Yet, if that were the case, how had he—!?

Then, narrowing his eyes once more, Sasuke decided it was best to play dumb. So, he quickly snapped, "I  _don't_  have any idea what you're talking about, father."

"Do not take me for a fool, Sasuke," Fugaku replied.

The Uchiha boy clenched his jaw tight. There had to be  _some_  way to get himself out of his current situation. There  _had to be_  some way to distract his father from the subject. There _had to be_  some way to make the older Uchiha forget that he, Sasuke, wanted Higurashi Kagome more than anything else.

 _But_ , how could he do that?

"Or, have forgotten that I was your age at one point in my life?" Fugaku continued.

"I have not forgotten," Sasuke growled. "It is only common sense that you were once my age. Every person was or will be."

Fugaku quickly realized that his son was trying to distract him from the original subject, and he refused to be pulled away. "You're trying to distract me, Sasuke," he said in a dry tone, "and, since I do not want to play your game today, I will ask you again. Your rank has dropped because of Higurashi Kagome, hasn't it?"

Sasuke felt his throat tighten, as Kagome's name slipped from his father's mouth. It was almost as if the other Uchiha was prepared to sign her death certificate, and he had  _no_  right to speak about her in such a tone! He did not even  _deserve_  to say her name!

" _Sasuke_ ," Fugaku's voice ordered his son to answer. He was growing tired of Sasuke's attempt to either distract him or force him into an endless circle. If he did not answer soon—

" _No_ ," Sasuke finally muttered.

"No?" Fugaku was almost amused. Almost. "This girl appears on my property  _twice_  with every intention of helping you train—despite the fact that there are plenty of Uchiha that would kiss your feet if you demanded their help!—and you expect me to believe that she is  _not_  the reason your rank has fallen?"

Anger erupted in Sasuke's chest. It would  _never_  be Kagome's fault, and he was really tired of his father's constant insinuation that it  _was_! "It's not like it matters!" Sasuke snapped harshly. "I could  _easily_  claim the rookie position once more if that is all that matters to you!"

Fugaku faltered a little, saying, "Sasuke, I never said that that is all that—"

"An Uchiha  _must_  be the best in order to  _have_  the best!" Sasuke recited from memory. "We  _must_  strive toward perfection in order to give the rest of the village something to strive for! We  _must_ —!"

" _That is enough_ ," Fugaku snarled.

Sasuke knew, underneath his father's glare, that he should feel embarrassed. But, his pride refused to let him. The Uchiha blood coursing madly through his veins allowed him to stand tall, and he found nothing wrong with his outburst.

"You  _will not_  put words in my mouth, do you understand me, boy?" Fugaku hissed.

"But, father, they are—" Sasuke began.

" _I said enough!_ " The Uchiha patriarch's did not yell, he did not have to, but his voice alone demanded that his son listen, and listen well, to what he said. "You will tell me this instant whether or not Higurashi Kagome is the reason for your fall in rank."

"It doesn't matter," Sasuke said, his voice firm. "I'll reclaim the rookie position before graduation, father."

Fugaku's Sharingan was fierce, as it pierced into Sasuke, for he did not enjoy the fact that his son had  _once again_  denied him the information he wanted. It was very clear to him, true, that Higurashi Kagome  _was_  the reason for his fall in rank, but he wanted to hear it from Sasuke's mouth. He wanted him to realize that he was foolishly allowing his emotions to control him.  _But_ …

"Father?"

"What makes you so certain that you will surpass Sasaki Kohaku and Aburame Shino now that they are aware you have fallen beneath them?" Fugaku asked.

"Because—" Sasuke smirked quite suddenly, as a plan came to his mind, "—I want something in exchange, father. And, I am willing to do anything in order to get it."

"Oh?" Fugaku blinked. Perhaps Sasuke was  _not_  merely following his emotions blindly. "What is it you want, Sasuke?"

Straightening his back, Sasuke said, "I want you to leave Higurashi Kagome alone,  _and_  I want you to give me an Uchiwa fan."

Fugaku's amusement shined in his eyes, as he replied, "I did not realize that your lust for that girl ran so deep, Sasuke."

"It is  _not_  lust!" Sasuke snapped. He  _knew_  what his father was implying. It was as plain as day! And, it seemed, his father would never understand that he wanted Kagome to one day become his wife, not merely lie in his bed as his lover.

"Perhaps it is not," Fugaku nodded. "However, though I will agree to give you an Uchiwa fan if and when you are once again in the rookie position, I will not agree to leave Higurashi Kagome alone until you prove to me that what you feel is not just lust, Uchiha Sasuke."

"I will  _not_ —!" Sasuke was quickly cut off.

"It is my final offer, Sasuke," Fugaku stated.

Frustrated, Sasuke snorted, "Very well. I'll reclaim the rookie position  _and_  I will show you that I, Uchiha Sasuke—" he fisted his shirt near his heart, "—feel more for Higurashi Kagome then mere lust!"

Fugaku did not have a chance to reply, as his son spun on his heel and quickly fled the area. However, as he stood alone, he found himself unable to contain the slight chuckles that escaped his mouth.

Sasuke's blunt nature always amused him to a point, and his Uchiha pride and arrogance was definitely something the Uchiha patriarch could be proud of.

* * *

 **Note:** This chapter is dedicated to RoseGlass.  <3


	18. The Ultimate Plan

"Look, look!" a girl squealed in excitement. "I've risen three slots since the last time Iruka-sensei sent out the ranking scores! I'm above Reina, now!"

"Like that's going to help you," Mayu snorted.

"What do you mean, Mayu?" the girl asked in anger.

"She's trying to tell you that you'll  _never_  become the Kunoichi of the Year, which means that you'll never be able to stand beside your precious little Sasuke- _kun_." The Hyuuga Neji Fan Club member, Mizuki, flipped her hair over her shoulder, as she cast a smug glance in the other kunoichi-in-training's direction.

The girl stiffened, narrowing her purple eyes on Mizuki. "I have as much of a chance as everyone else, Mizuki! You're just jealous because you know you'll  _never_  be able to catch Hyuuga Neji's eye as long as you stay in the rank you're in!"

Huffing, Mizuki stated, "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't  _need_  to be the Kunoichi of the Year in order to make Neji-sama notice me."

"That's right," another Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club member spoke up. "You don't need to try at all, Mizuki, because we all know that no matter how much you try, your precious Neji- _sama_ will only have eyes for  _Higurashi Kagome_."

" _No_ ," Mizuki growled. They were just jealous. They all  _knew_  that Uchiha Sasuke was beginning to show interest in Higurashi Kagome, and they wanted to make it seem like, one day, she would suddenly return Neji's affection. Well, she would not! She would return Uchiha Sasuke's and then the world would fall into place! "I'm just not putting myself up for disappoint, since we all  _know_  that Leiko will end up being the Kunoichi of the Year."

"Leiko's not even—"

"You're all wrong!" Naruto spoke up, grinning from ear to ear.

" _Oh?_  And, tell us, how do you know, Uzumaki Naruto?" Asuka rolled her eyes. That boy  _really_  needed to shut up.

"Because—" Naruto was pushed away as he tried to wrap his arm around his best friend's shoulder, "—Kagome here is going to beat all of you!"

The once quiet classroom burst into laughter, as the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club tried to quell their anger by laughing it away. There was just  _no way_  Higurashi Kagome was going to beat them in the race to gain Uchiha Sasuke's heart! Not when they knew about her devious little plan!

" _As if_ ," Sakura snorted.

"W- _what?!_ " Naruto growled. " _Kagome'll_ — _!_ "

"Quiet down, Naruto." Kagome waved her hand to silent him. He might want to be the center of attention, but she did not. Especially when her mother had practically stripped her of all oden eating privileges and made her practice, practice, practice because of him.

" _But_ , Kagome, you—"

A single glare shut him up quick enough for Kagome's taste.

"Don't try to act all cool, Higurashi—" the rest of the class seemed to realize that the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club had converted to using Kagome's surname only, as Sakura growled, "—We both know that  _you'll_  never manage to climb up the rank fast enough to dig yourself out of the last position."

"A-actually, Sakura, K-Kagome is—" Hinata nearly jumped out of her seat, as Sakura turned to glare harshly at her. She was not quite sure what she had done, but she fiddled with her fingers a little more in an attempt to draw attention away from herself.

" _Hey!_ " Kiba growled. "Don't look at Hinata that way, Sakura! She didn't do anything wrong!"

"Well—" the class  _also_  noticed that Sakura seemed to have gained quite a bit of confidence in the last few days, "—if she would keep her nose out of other people's business, maybe I wouldn't have to!"

Wanting to defend her friend, Hinata spoke up a second time. "I-I only wanted to t-tell you that Kagome is in a r-rank above my own, Sakura."

" _What?!_ " Sakura cried.

"What's the matter, Sakura?" Ino smirked. "Is something wrong?"

"N-nothing's wrong!" Sakura hissed. "Ino-pig!"

" _Quiet down!_ " Iruka hollered.

Noticing the distraction, Naruto quickly kicked the desk in front of him to gain Uchiha Sasuke's attention. The other boy turned to glare at him, clearly not appreciating his method of genius, and Naruto scowled when Sasuke quickly returned to staring at the chalkboard afterward.

Sakura bit her lip, saying, "I mean,  _of course_  there's nothing wrong. Hinata's ranked so far beneath me that—!"

"Hinata's ranked in the slot above my own, Sakura." Ino smirked, wondering how her old rival would be able to respond to that. "As of now, that is."

"Well, Ino-pig, I  _didn't_  drop—"

"I  _didn't_  drop in rank, Sakura," Ino growled.

"W-well," Sakura stuttered. She did not know what else to say. Her mother had not allowed her to see the Academy ranking when it arrived.

"Come on, Kagome!" Naruto whined. "Tell them!"

"Tell them  _what_?" she snorted. "My mother didn't let me see the stupid letter when it came. She was more concerned with making me train because of you, you idiot."

"Are you  _still_  mad about that?!" Naruto gasped.

" _It was yesterday!_ " she snapped. "Of course I'm  _still_  angry!"

"Oh,  _come on_!" Naruto pouted, hoping she would stop glaring at him. "Iruka-sensei noticed my progress, so he had to have noticed that you've been mastering a new lightning technique every other week!"

"It's not  _every_  other—" Kagome's eyebrow twitched when she was not able to finish.

" _Lightning?!_ " Sakura laughed. "A genin doesn't have nearly enough chakra to produce a  _proper_  lightning technique, Naruto! You probably just think Higurashi's  _so_  great because you know—!"

"Who are you to say a genin  _can't_  produce a lightning technique?"

Sakura's eyes snapped immediately to Sasuke, while her mouth fell open in surprise. The Uchiha was not even looking at her, but his deliciously dark look caused her face to flush and her hands to shake. "W-well, I mean, it's not like a genin usually trains as often as  _you_ , Sasuke-kun," she giggled. "You're an exception to the rule.  _I mean_ , you could probably—"

" _Shut up_. I've seen—" he was lying, "—Kagome perform a lightning technique her grandfather taught her, and it is as good, if not better—" completely and  _utterly_  lying, "—than my clan's fire technique."

"S-Sasuke-kun," Sakura gasped. "You can't  _mean_  that!"

"Eh? Sasuke, you  _haven_ —"

" _Yeah!_ " Naruto's voice drowned out Kagome easily. "Sasuke-teme wanted to scope out the competition— _me, obviously!_ —and I caught him red handed after Kagome performed her awesome electrification technique!"

Blinking, Kagome said, "Naruto, you  _didn_ —!"

"More like you ran into me, dobe," Sasuke growled.

" _Wai_ —"

" _Like hell I did, Sasuke-teme!_ " Naruto spat.

"Will you two let me—?"

"It's your word against mine,  _dobe_." Sasuke made sure to draw out the last word to prolong the Uzumaki's suffering. He  _more_  than deserved it after forcing him to speak with Itachi.

" _Naruto!_ " Kagome shrieked, as Naruto went to reply.

Instinct controlling him, Naruto screamed when Kagome grabbed him by the ear and began to pull. "Hey, hey,  _hey!_ " he yelped. " _Let me go!_ "

" _Higurashi Kagome, I will only say this_ —!" Iruka exploded.

" _Not now, Iruka-sensei—!_ " Iruka was so surprised that he paused in step, "—This idiot isn't letting me speak and,  _damn it_ , I'm going to speak! I have performed  _three_  high level techniques that my grandfather taught me here at the Academy. You've  _all_  seen it! But never,  _never_ , has Uchiha Sasuke come across me—"

"Why are you trying to  _deny_ it, Kagome?!" Naruto gasped. Then, despite the pain in his ear, he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "I thought you liked it when Sasuke-teme,  _you know_ , watched you."

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club gasped as a collective unit.

" _Agh!_ " Kagome turned red in the face, as her memory mocked her with the fact that she thought Uchiha Sasuke was quite handsome. " _I'm going to kill you, Uzumaki Nar-u-to!_ "

Kicking to gain his freedom, Naruto was a little surprised when his ear slid from Kagome's hold. However, he was given only a moment to smile before his mind kicked into gear and he scrambled to remove himself from the classroom. " _Holy shit!_ " he yelled. "Kagome, I didn't mean—!"

" _Lightning Release—!_ "

* * *

"This is all  _your_  fault!"

The Uchiha boy slowly smirked, while the blonde shinobi-in-training pointed an accusing finger in his direction. "What are you talking about, Naruto?" he asked. "I think that bandage suits you  _perfectly_."

His face flaming, Naruto stomped his foot repeatedly while he yelled, "If you  _hadn't_  burned my arm with your  _stupid_  fire technique, Kagome would have never got it in her head that she needed to do the same thing with her lightning technique, you ass!"

"I don't see how this is  _my_  fault," Sasuke said.

" _She's trying to impress you, you bastard!?_ " Naruto huffed. Was the Uchiha really  _so_  stupid that he could not see what was right in front of his  _face_?

"I  _still_  don't see how—"

Ignoring the Uchiha's dark scowl, Naruto flapped his uninjured arm in an attempt to get his point across. " _You emotionally constipated bastard!_ "

Taking a step forward, Sasuke purposely grabbed onto Naruto's bandaged appendage. "What did you just call me?" he hissed, making sure that he squeezed tight enough that the blonde would feel every ounce of pain he deserved.

"Ow, ow,  _ow_!" Naruto squawked. "Let go of me, Sasuke-teme! That hurts!"

" _Why?_ " Sasuke smirked. "You're supposed to be some  _great_  and  _powerful_  shinobi, aren't you?"

"Of course I—!" Sasuke tightened his hold. "— _Ow, ow, ow!_ "

" _Really?_ " The Uchiha boy huffed, adding, "That's odd, Naruto, because all I see right now is a  _girl_  that would cry over breaking her fingernail."

"Damn it, Sasuke-teme! How many times do I have to tell you?" Naruto barely managed to yank his arm from the other boy's grasp. " _I'm_ not _a girl!_ "

"That bandage on your arm could have fooled me."

His face flaming once more, Naruto wailed, "The nurse at the hospital told me that they had no other choice because a squadron of injured shinobi had needed all the other bandages! It's not  _my_  fault that the only bandages they had left were  _pink_!"

"Hn," Sasuke snorted. Like he was going to believe that story.

" _It's not!_ " Naruto erupted, again.

"Whatever," Sasuke said. "I didn't come here to listen to you complain about your injury, anyway. Do you have another plan or not?"

"Of course I have another plan!" Naruto spat. "But now,  _oh now_ , I'm not entirely certain you're good enough to have someone as awesome as me,  _Uzumaki Naruto_ , helping you gain _my_  best friend's heart!?!"

"You made a promise,  _dobe_ ," Sasuke hissed. Now?! Now of all times, when he was  _so_  close, the idiot decides that he no longer wants to help him?! Did he have a  _death wish_?

Sticking his nose in the air, Naruto crossed his arms the best he could. "Yeah, well—" the Uchiha glared at his arrogant tone, "—if you don't stop going on about how you think I'm a girl,  _when I'm clearly not_ , then I think I have every right  _in the world_  to break said promise."

Uchiha Sasuke clenched his fist. If he had to, he would beat Uzumaki Naruto until he agreed to help him once more.

"What do you think of  _that_ , Sasuke-teme?" Naruto asked.

"What do I  _think_?" Sasuke hissed.

"H-Hey!" Naruto stiffened, realizing how close the Uchiha was to attacking him. Which, in his opinion, was completely and utterly  _un-cool_. A shinobi should  _never_  hit a man while he was injured! "If you attack me, I'll  _never_  help you!"

" _What is your plan, dobe?_ " Sasuke growled. He was  _not_  amused. Not at all.

" _Gah_ ," Naruto huffed. "You're so impatient, you know that?"

" _Naruto_."

" _Well—!_ " Naruto puffed out his chest a little, "—I was thinking about it today in class, Sasuke-teme, and I realized that you have managed to come a long way from our first attempt at Kagome's heart."

"You mean the one that  _you_  ruined?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, that  _one_ —" Naruto stopped, realizing that he should  _not_  agree with that statement. It was not his fault that the Uchiha boy could not ask Higurashi Kagome out on a date! "Despite the fact  _you_  completely ruined that mission, Sasuke-teme, I am willing to overlook your comment  _for the time being_."

"Right," Sasuke sneered. Was the other boy actually  _going_  somewhere with his little rant?

" _Anyway_ , what I was going to say was, now is the time to strike!" Naruto grinned. "Kagome has been,  _like_ , all girly when it comes to you since you saved her from those fan girls and gave her that flower!"

"Do you have a  _point_?" Sasuke asked.

"You need to go for the  _direct approach_ , Sasuke!" Naruto beamed. "Now! Right now!"

Sasuke nearly choked on his tongue. The blonde shinobi-in-training expected him to actually—?! After he had—?! " _You want me to_ —"

" _Yes_ ," Naruto's eyes gleamed.

"You're an idiot," Sasuke scoffed. A swarm seemed to appear in his stomach, fluttering over and over again, as the thought raced through his mind. There was just  _no_  way. Absolutely, positively,  _no way_.

"Eh, that's fine," Naruto shrugged. Secretly, a smirk appeared on his face. "I knew you couldn't do it anyway. I mean,  _come on_ , you're practically afraid of your own shadow whenever Kagome's around."

The Uchiha's dark gaze became chilling in an instant.

* * *

" _Kagome_."

" _Eh?_ " Kagome turned quickly on her heel, blinking at the sight of the boy. She had not expected to see him in the market, but she smiled nevertheless at the sight of her friend. "Hello, Hakudoushi. Did you forget to go grocery shopping,  _again_?"

"No." The white haired boy shook his head. "Rin has caught a slight cough, and Kanna practically demanded I fetch her some medicine. Apparently she does not want to catch it, too."

"Oh," Kagome blinked. "Is Shippo complaining about it, too?"

"Of course." Hakudoushi allowed his eyes to flicker when he recognized the familiar chakra signature that suddenly appeared. With a smirk, however, he decided that Kagome did not need to be informed about the arrival.

Shifting her footing, Kagome nodded and took a good look at Hakudoushi. Then, as his soft, lavender colored eyes bore into her, she blinked in realization. " _Oh my—!_ " she gasped. "Hakudoushi, you are  _so_  mean!"

Appearing innocent, the genin blinked in mock surprise. He knew perfectly well what the Higurashi girl was talking about, but he could not help but ask, " _What_  are you talking about, Kagome?"

"This  _isn't_  the way to the hospital!" she huffed.

" _And_ —" he encouraged her.

"—you're  _supposed_  to be getting medicine for Rin!" she finished. "You said yourself that she has a cold. What if it worsens while you're away?! What if she suddenly comes down with a fever?!  _What if_ — _?!_ "

Hakudoushi shut her up by grabbing her hand and leaning into her.

"Hakudoushi?" Kagome asked. What was he doing?

Almost sighing at the oblivious girl's reaction, Hakudoushi released her. Then, he said, "You should become a medic-nin. You'd be good at it."

Immediately, the kunoichi-in-training sputtered with laughter. "You're only saying that because you don't like any of the other kunoichi that  _do_  want to become medic-nin! I'd be terrible at it! And,  _besides_ , you know that I want to become the greatest jounin-instructor that this village has ever seen, Hakudoushi!"

Hakudoushi nodded. He  _did_  know that.

"I couldn't imagine myself as a medic-nin, anyway," Kagome smiled in humor.

"That doesn't mean you wouldn't be good at it. You worry enough," Hakudoushi replied.

" _Oh_ , that's funny!" Then, in a grand display, she mocked him by shifting into his stance, and said, "I'm the amazingly  _awesome_  Hakudoushi. I managed to become a genin before I should have, and I'm not afraid to show the fact that I absolutely hate the people the Hokage stuck me with—"

Hakudoushi narrowed his eyes, while the girl sighed.

"— _But_ , despite all my awesomeness, I need a  _girl_  to worry about me and those I care about. I mean, I'm just  _so_  awesome that I couldn't  _ever_  imagine doing it myself." To finish her display, Kagome flipped her hair over her shoulder and made sure to stick her nose high into the air.

"That was pitiful," Hakudoushi snorted.

" _What?_ " Kagome gasped. "It was  _perfect_!"

"I wouldn't be childish enough to act as you just did," he replied.

"That  _wasn't_  the point!" she snapped. "If I didn't worry for you, no one would! But, that doesn't mean that I need to become a medic-nin,  _or_  would even qualify for the job!"

"You're in denial," the genin boy stated simply.

"And you're a  _jerk_ , so we're even," she muttered.

"Tch." Hakudoushi rolled his eyes, letting the Higurashi girl know that he did not appreciate her statement.

Recognizing the fact that the conversation was officially over, Kagome sighed. "You're no fun, Hakudoushi." Then, she added, " _Well_ , you haven't been since you became a genin, anyway."

"I have responsibilities now," he stated, "I cannot play around as I used to."

Nodding, the Higurashi tilted her head in his direction. She asked, " _So_ , are you actually going to go to the hospital for Rin soon?"

"Yes." Hakudoushi found the question ridiculous, since the kunoichi-in-training  _knew_  he would retrieve Rin's medicine eventually. He was not  _that_  cruel. "Otherwise Kanna will come looking for me."

"Right," Kagome grinned. "We wouldn't want Kanna to turn that horrifying mirror on you, now would we?"

"If you wouldn't say that if you had had yourself stuck inside of it," Hakudoushi hissed. As much as he appreciated Higurashi Kagome's kindness and wished she would notice him  _at least_ once, he did not appreciate the fact that she always brought that little detail up.

"Oh,  _come on_ , it was funny!" Kagome laughed. "You were trapped inside a  _mirror_!"

"That technique is actually very dangerous,  _and_ —" Hakudoushi did not finish.

"You were trapped  _inside_  a mirror!" Kagome repeated. "And, not only that, but you didn't figure out how to get out for four hours!"

"If I remember correctly—" Hakudoushi knew he  _did_ , "—you weren't laughing then."

"Yeah,  _well_ ," Kagome blushed, "I didn't know how to get you out either! We're lucky that Kanna managed to reverse the technique, otherwise you probably would have had your soul sucked out and your body devoured by  _whatever_  it is that resides in that thing!"

"I still don't see how you can laugh about it now," Hakudoushi snorted.

" _Because_ , it's funny now," Kagome smiled. "You're not stuck in the mirror anymore, and it's hilarious to think that you, the prodigy, could be trapped by such a simple little thing. No one can touch you, yet you were completely trapped by a  _mirror_."

"As  _hilarious_  as this conversation is, I have somewhere that I need to be." Hakudoushi decided it was best to end his interaction with Kagome, despite how much he enjoyed it, before the girl told his secret to the whole village. "I hope you have a pleasant day, Kagome."

While Hakudoushi spun on his heel to leave, Kagome chuckled at his back, saying, "Oh, don't run away, Hakudoushi! I was only having a little fun!"

Her sentence did not stop the young genin from walking away, though.

Rolling her eyes, Kagome yelled, "Fine! I have dango to go buy anyway!"

* * *

"Come on." Naruto used his good hand to gesture toward the market below. " _Come on_."

The Uchiha boy rolled his eyes, as he stated, "Her mother said she went to buy some dango. There's no way she's left alread—"

" _Come on,_ Sasuke-teme!" Naruto hissed. "Kagome's  _right there_!"

Sasuke moved toward the edge of the roof quickly, and purposely bumped the blonde shinobi-in-training a bit to move him out of the way. "Where?" he asked.

"Hey, hey—!" Naruto growled, trying to protect his hurt arm. "— _Don't push me, you bastard!_ "

"Then get out of my way,  _dobe_ ," Sasuke snorted. He did not even know why he had let the idiot tag along. It was not like he needed him to ask Higurashi Kagome on a date for him. No matter how many butterflies hatched in his abdomen, Uchiha Sasuke was positive he could force himself to ask such a simple thing  _by himself_.

Scowling, Naruto peered over the edge of the roof.

"You look like a stalker."

"Ha!" Naruto laughed. "Everybody knows that Kagome is  _my_  friend, so I doubt I'm the one they'll think is a stalker. Besides, I'm the  _master_  of disguise, Sasuke-teme! Nobody is gonna see me!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. " _Right_ , keep telling yourself that."

"Well,  _all right_ , nobody except—" Naruto halted suddenly, "—Hakudoushi!"

Uchiha Sasuke stiffened at the name, as it instantly left a bad taste in his mouth. However, he chose to ignore the fact, as he said, "That little  _brat_  couldn't find a—"

" _No!_ " Naruto shook his head. "No, no, no, no! Hakudoushi's down there with Kagome!"

As the other boy leaned over the edge to point down into the market area, Sasuke felt a sharp feeling rise within his chest. His dark eyes immediately found Higurashi Kagome's dark colored hair, and the feeling in his chest stabbed at him again when he realized Hakudoushi was  _indeed_  standing beside her.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Naruto wondered aloud, as Kagome seemed to raise her voice in Hakudoushi's direction. Her stance alone told him that she was outraged, but,  _damn it_ , that was not enough for the boy.

"Do I look like a—?" The Uchiha did not finish, as his eyes zeroed in one the sight of that little bastard grabbing onto Kagome's hand. Then, in a purely possessive manner, the bastard had the audacity to lean into her!?!

"Eh, Sasuke?" Naruto blinked. "Are you  _ok_?"

The butterflies left over in his stomach twisted into something sinister, while Sasuke imagined Hakudoushi lying in a pool of his own blood. It was what he  _deserved_ , after all, for touching what rightfully belonged to  _him_ , Uchiha Sasuke!

Naruto almost stilled when a dark chuckle escaped the Uchiha's mouth. A single memory flashed through his mind— _Kagome's dark eyes bore into him, lightning cloaking her body, while a dark chuckle escaped her mouth, "Nar-u-to."_ —and he made sure he was at least five feet away from Sasuke after that.

There was no way he was going to chance it.

Though the moment passed, Sasuke's raging emotion was not appeased. Not even by Kagome's blatant display of mockery soon after. That little bastard  _actually_  thought he was competition. He  _actually_  thought he had a chance at capturing Higurashi Kagome's allusive heart. He  _actually_  thought he could steal what belonged to an Uchiha!

Sasuke would show him. He would easily snatch up Kagome's heart and delight in the knowledge that he was the one who held it in his hand. He would gain her love, her acceptance, and never let her go afterward.

" _Ohhh_ ," Naruto grinned. "Hakudoushi obviously didn't take that well."

Sasuke clenched his fist, as Hakudoushi made no move to leave. Yes, he appeared to have drawn into himself and denied whatever Kagome had said, but he was  _not_ leaving. And that fact alone did not sit well with the Uchiha.

Then, as if Hakudoushi sensed Sasuke's need, the genin walked away.

" _Well_ —" Naruto slid back to Sasuke's side, "—what are you waiting  _foooor_?"

Sasuke's annoyance only increased when the Uzumaki,  _surprisingly_ , ducked beneath his swing.

" _What the hell?!_ " Naruto complained loudly.

"Shut up," Sasuke growled. He made sure his next swing connected with his target, and smirked in satisfaction when the idiot disappeared over the edge.

" _SASUKE-TEME!!_ "

* * *

"Did you hear something, Fuma-san?"

"No." The woman shook her head. "Why?"

"That's  _odd_ —" the other woman sighed, "—I was certain that I just heard someone yell."

The Higurashi girl turned away from the conversation. She had thought she heard something, too, but she supposed that she could have been mistaken. Besides, she did not feel the need to disturb the older woman over something so minor, even if she  _really_  did want to confirm if they had both heard the same thing.

"Fuma-san?"

" _Oh my—!_ " Fuma-san gasped, "—that's Uchiha Sasuke!"

Kagome spun on her foot, her hair lifting into the air, as she felt her face heat up at the mention of Sasuke's name. It was ridiculous, though, because there was a possibility that the woman was mistaken  _and_ —

But, no, there he stood. Uchiha Sasuke.

" _Ka-go-me_."

Immediately, as the dark haired boy drew closer, Kagome shifted her gaze to the ground. It just figured, as her heart picked up in delight, that he would come upon her in the one place that she  _never_  wanted to encounter him again. Because, even if it did not bother him or he had forgotten, they were standing in the same general area where she had—! Where she  _had_ —!?

"Kagome, I wanted to know if—?"

Even though he paused in his sentence, Kagome felt her face darken at the sound of his voice. And,  _damn it,_ it was ridiculous! Every little thing about him should not send her into a flutter! Because he was  _just_  a boy and she was  _just_  a girl, and there was absolutely nothing going on between them!

"I,  _um_ —" He struggled with his swollen tongue, determined to seize the opportunity and take what belonged to him. But,  _damn it_ , the butterflies had returned full force.

"Fuma-san, do you think—?" the woman trailed off.

Once more, Kagome blocked the annoying women out. Her mind had immediately attached itself to the thought, even unfinished, wishing it to be true, and she pushed it away. Why would Sasuke want to ask something like  _that_? Why would he ever want to ask  _her_  something like  _that_?

Sasuke moved closer to her, hoping that the movement would lift her beautiful blue eyes up onto him. But, no matter how close he got, the Higurashi refused to look upon him. "Kagome, I  _really_  wanted to know if you would—?" and,  _then_ , he realized that his stomach had turned to knots with the proximity.

"Sasuke?" Kagome forced herself to calm down, to think rationally, as she sensed that the Uchiha wanted to ask her something important. And though her face was flaming, she shifted so she could see him from beneath her lashes.

He knew she did not mean it. That dark, seductive look was purely innocent. Yet, Sasuke felt his face redden a bit as she blinked rapidly. " _Would you_ —" he gulped, "—I mean—"  _again_ , "—that is—" and  _again_ , "—I meant to ask—?"

"Sasuke, are you  _ok—_?" Kagome stiffened, as the boy latched onto her hand.

"Would you,  _please_ , come with me?" he asked. He just  _could not_  ask her while so many people were watching them.

"U- _um_ ," Kagome blinked, "I  _suppose_ —"

Uchiha Sasuke was already dragging her away from the street.

"Sasuke?" she asked. "Where are we going?"

Sasuke did not trust himself to answer. He was not even sure where he was taking her, he just knew that he needed to get away from the crowded market street. And, thankfully, he found refuge in a dimly lit alleyway.

Watching the Uchiha's back, Kagome frowned a little. It was weird that he could not ask his question in front of other people. Almost like when Naruto had jokingly asked her on a—

His hand tightened on her wrist.

 _Ohhh_.

Kagome gasped, feeling her face turn red when she realized that she had almost let herself believe that he had wanted to—!  _Wanted to_ —! But, that was  _completely_  and  _utterly_ ridiculous because Uchiha Sasuke would  _never_ —!?

"Kagome, I wanted to know—" he said quickly.

"S-Sasuke?"

"—if you would go on a—" his traitorous tongue almost won the battle, "—a—"

"Sasuke,  _you're hurting me_ ," Kagome whispered, as his grip tightened.

Sasuke snatched his hand back immediately. He then turned toward her, reaching for her wrist once more in concern. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—" he started.

Allowing him to take her wrist in his hand, Kagome stuttered, "I-it's fine."

Her tiny wrist, slightly red from his frustration, in his hand, Sasuke looked up and found himself swimming in those beautiful dark blue eyes that he loved so much. The same blue eyes that he wanted to keep only on himself, and the only way he was going to do that was by—

Unknowingly caught beneath the same spell, Kagome softly whispered, " _Sasuke?_ "

"Kagome, would you—"

" _Yes?_ " she asked.

"—Would you  _go on a date with me_?"

The world seemed to crash back down around them, as Sasuke realized that he had  _done it_. He had managed to actually—! He  _had_ —! And,  _now_ , all he had to do was wait for the glorious answer that he  _knew_  would fall from Kagome's slightly open mouth.

But, instead, all he received was a simple, " _What?_ "


	19. Possibility

Sasuke felt his chest tightened in horror. He had done everything! He had preformed  _every_  stupid—or seemingly so—task that Uzumaki Naruto had thrown in his direction! He had _suffered_ , damn it, and all he received in return when he finally managed to pull off what seemed impossible was, "what?"

"Sasuke, you—" Kagome gapped, "— _um_ , I mean—"

The Uchiha's anger faded a bit, as he realized that the Higurashi girl was in shock.

"— _well_ , that is—"

It was just so  _cute_ , the way her face turned absolutely red. Sasuke had not really noticed it before, but now he was proud to say that her face only turned that way because he was present.

"— _um_ —"

Then again, another part of Sasuke brewed in the fact that she was suffering as he had not long ago. But, quickly, the shinobi-in-training squished that traitorous part of his brain and tightened his grip on Kagome's wrist to gain her full attention.

" _Sasuke?_ " Kagome blinked.

"Will  _you_  go on a date with  _me_?" he asked again.

Kagome felt like she had been punched in the stomach. Uchiha Sasuke had actually—! He had—! Her heart almost literally erupted with excitement and joy, while she stupidly stared into his onyx colored eyes.

" _Please_."

"I don't know—" Kagome watched as his eyes narrowed, and added, "—I mean, I need some time to think about it. You can't just expect me to agree when there's so much that—"

Sasuke merely blinked in disbelief, the world forgotten as he tried to understand what Kagome was trying to tell him. She had not said she did not want to, but she had not agreed either. And—! And, why in the world did she have to pick the moment when he finally forced his tongue into action to torment him so?!

The mind and body were suddenly at war, as Kagome realized she had spoken without actually thinking about her answer. Her mind felt it was logical, that she really did not know all that much about the Uchiha boy to actually  _think_  about dating him, but her body disagreed with a simple skip in her heartbeat.

She had just—!

" _Eh_ , I mean—" Kagome could not believe that she had actually,  _technically_ , turned down Uchiha Sasuke's proposal. The one boy that somehow managed to turn her into a puddle of goo whenever she thought about his handsome face being licked with red flames. The one boy that she had thought would never,  _ever_  ask her on a—! A—!

"You don't want to—"

" _It's not that I don't want to!_ " Kagome corrected him. "Just, well—"

"What  _is it_  then?" Sasuke snapped. The damn girl! Every other girl would have fallen at his feet and begged him to tell them it was true, yet she, Higurashi Kagome, remained completely oblivious to the fact that he wanted her! She remained wrapped up in her innocent little world, yet—!

Yet, somehow, Sasuke found that it only made him want her more.

Caught underneath Sasuke's dark gaze, Kagome quickly turned her reddening face toward the ground. Then, in an attempt to clear her head, she shifted her footing out of nervous habit and pulled her wrist from his grip. "Sasuke, I just think t-that it would be  _best_  if I think about it first. I m-mean, we barely know each other  _and_ —I'm sorry!"

Shock raced up Sasuke's spine, as Higurashi Kagome suddenly turned on her foot and  _ran away from him_. He sputtered for only a moment, before shouting, " _Kagome,_ wait—!"

The Higurashi girl did not stop, quickly fleeing the alleyway.

"— _wait_." Sasuke let his voice trail off, as he slowly lowered the hand he had raised in her direction. It fell heavily at his side, limp almost, while the shinobi-in-training found himself suddenly fighting with the moisture gathering in his eyes.

He knew he could chase after her. He  _knew_  he could catch her. He could,  _but_  he suddenly felt that there was no reason to. She had rejected him. She had told him—

" _No_." Sasuke shook his head, quickly ridding himself of the depressing thought. Then, roughly, he wiped the moisture that stubbornly refused to leave the corner of his eyes. It was ridiculous for it to gather anyway, since it was quite clear that Kagome had  _not_  rejected him completely. She had said so herself.

It was stupid.

Completely and  _utterly_  st—

" _Hey_ —" the quiet voice came from behind him, "—is she still around? What did she say?"

His anger returning full force, the Uchiha boy rounded on Uzumaki Naruto as he neared. "What did she  _say_?" he roared. " _What did she say?!_ "

"H-hey!" Naruto raised his unharmed hand in defense.

His annoying face, blue eyes, childish smile—damn, well,  _everything_ —set Uchiha Sasuke off. "She damn well didn't give me the answer  _you_  said she  _would_ , that's for damn sure!" he yelled. He was not entirely sure why he was taking it out on Naruto, but he knew that,  _somehow_ , the outcome of his time with Kagome was Naruto's fault. Therefore, he  _deserved_ every ounce of pain he could throw at him. " _I hate you, Uzumaki Naruto!_ "

" _U-uh_ —!" Naruto started.

"You and your stupid  _direct approach_!" Sasuke continued. "Direct approach, direct approach! Look where that got me! I'll be damn lucky if Kagome ever gives me an answer, let  _alone_ speaks to me again!"

"So," Naruto asked, "she didn't say she wouldn't?"

" _Who fucking cares!_ " Sasuke took a wild swing at the other shinobi-in-training, and watched in satisfaction as his fist connected with the Uzumaki's upper jaw. He lifted off his feet, slamming into a trashcan nearby, and Sasuke grinned sinisterly as the blonde coughed from the blow.

"T-that  _hurt_ ," Naruto coughed.

"I should dig you a grave," Sasuke hissed, "and bury you in it."

Realizing that Sasuke was advancing on him, Naruto scrambled back onto his feet. "H-hey,  _back off_!" he shouted. "It's not my fault that Kagome didn't agree to go on a date with you! And,  _besides_ , we see her almost every day, it's not like you can't ask her again!"

His anger only growing in an attempt to shove away the rejection he felt, Sasuke grabbed Naruto by his collar. Once he was close enough that he could almost touch him, the Uchiha growled, " _Do you think this is funny?_ "

" _What?_ " Naruto blinked. "Why in the world would I— _Ow_!"

" _Do you think it's funny that I—that she—that—?!_ "

"Sasuke-teme, you need to calm down!" Naruto shrieked.

His grip loosened, and Naruto hit the ground once more, but Sasuke did not really notice. "Why?" he asked himself. "Why  _didn't_  she agree?"

Naruto felt slightly uncomfortable, while he stared at the other boy. He had been positive, most of his life, that an Uchiha could not feel anything. That every Uchiha went through some clan ritual in order to rid themselves of worthless emotions. Yet, clearly, as Sasuke's pride fought off the urge to cry, he had been wrong.

" _Why?_ " Sasuke whispered.

"You said yourself that she didn't say no." Naruto felt it was his job to cheer the Uchiha up, despite how much the thought made him want to vomit. After all, it was— _unfortunately_ —his fault that the Uchiha was currently experiencing some kind of pain. "So, you  _still_  have a chance. There's no reason to beat yourself up over it."

Sasuke nodded in agreement, and said, "I know,  _but_ —"

"Don't worry about it!" Naruto cut him off. "I'll come up with something! No! No, I'll do even better than  _that_! I'll go talk to Kagome myself, ok? That way I can tell you why she didn't agree and we can figure out where to go from here!"

The dark haired boy merely shook his head, and slowly replied, " _Whatever_."

Naruto shifted uncomfortably once more, as Sasuke shoved by him in order to leave. The Uchiha's dark form appeared as perfect as always, not a strand of hair out of place, yet the way he held himself and walked caused Naruto's very stomach to tighten. Almost as if he was guilty about—!

No! That definitely was  _not_  the reason! Naruto would know for a fact if he felt guilty over accidentally causing the Uchiha pain, and he definitely  _did not feel that way_!

After all, despite the fact he was helping him, Uchiha Sasuke would  _always_  be someone that he disliked with a passion! There was just no way that that would  _ever_  change.

* * *

Higurashi-san smiled sadly, as she watched her daughter through the window in the kitchen. The fact that she had situated herself beneath the blossomed Goshinboku could only mean one thing. " _Boys_ ," Higurashi-san breathed to herself, continuing the tedious task she had long ago come to enjoy.

"Is that girl still beneath that tree?"

Turning her head a bit, Higurashi-san nodded in her father's direction. "Yes," she said simply.

Higurashi Hisao shook his head, as a deep frown settled on his face. "I had thought I taught that girl better than that. Boys are trivial in comparison to training, and that is exactly what she needs to be doing." His blue eyes darkened, as he added, "Why, back when I was young, I lost nearly a years worth of training because of some beautiful dame. I can remember it clearly, I can, because I remember that I nearly lost my position as an—an—Sayoko, what was I then?"

"A chuunin, father," Higurashi-san chuckled.

"No,  _no_." Hisao frowned. "No,  _no_ , that can't be right."

Higurashi-san did not bother to glance back, as her father muttered to himself and went to check the information. But, once he was gone, she glanced out through the window again and sighed when she realized her daughter had not moved an inch. Her head was still tilted back, so she could stare deep into the Goshinboku's branches, and her face was still as confused as ever.

Finally, unable to stand the sight of her child in such a state, Higurashi-san abandoned her task. She dropped the glass she held back beneath the white foam layer in the sink, and quickly wiped her hands on the apron she wore.

She, after all, had been young once, and she was positive that she could help ease the turmoil that her daughter felt.

However, Higurashi-san paused when she pulled the door open. Then, slowly, a new smile spread across her face, as she recognized Naruto's blonde head bobbing in Kagome's direction.

The door shut quietly. Higurashi-san knew that while Kagome would eventually need a woman's guidance, for now her best friend could easily pick her back up on her feet again. After all, who better to save her daughter than the boy that had saved the village twelve years ago?

Even without his knowledge.

* * *

" _Hey!_ " Naruto's scowling face was suddenly inches away from Kagome's, and he was surprised when she merely turned her face to one side. "What's with that upside down face, missy? You said you'd help me with my shadow clone technique, and I expect you to—!"

"Not right  _now_ , Naruto," the Higurashi girl scowled back.

" _Eh?_ " Naruto pouted. "B-but, Kagome—!"

"I mean it,  _Nar-u-to_ ," she growled. " _Not right now_."

Settling himself down on the ground, Naruto made sure that his scowl was as annoyed as Kagome's looked. After all, there was  _no way_  he was going to give away the fact that he _knew_  perfectly well what had upset her. "What's wrong with you? Higurashi-san tell you you're not gonna get any oden for the next year because some stupid fan girl attacked you out of nowhere  _and_ —"

A small smile forced itself onto her face, as she quietly said, "No,  _stupid_."

" _Well_ ," he growled, "what's wrong with you then?"

"It's not important," she mumbled.

The shinobi-in-training snorted loudly, saying, "Not important?  _Not_ important?! Of course it's important! The Higurashi Kagome I  _know_  wouldn't be moping underneath some supposedly ancient, spiritual tree if there wasn't  _something_  wrong!"

"Naruto," Kagome sighed. "Do you think I'm a bad person?"

"W- _what—_ " Naruto almost fell over, as he dramatically waved his good arm in shock, "— _the hell kinda question is that?!_ "

"I was just wondering." The girl buried her face into her arms. "I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if you did. I hurt your arm, and I'm constantly being mean to you, and I take your friendship for granted,  _and_ —!"

" _Who the fuck told you that, Kagome?! Huh?!_ " Naruto roared, suddenly on his feet. If that stupid,  _stupid_  Uchiha Sasuke told his best friend that stuff and then got pissed off because she refused to go on a date with him, well, Naruto was going to kick his ass! He was going to make sure that the blasted Uchiha was ten feet under ground, and  _then_  he was going to purposely help  _Hyuuga Neji_  gain Kagome's heart in order to spite his spirit!

"No one," she whispered.

" _Like hell—!_ " Naruto started.

" _No one!_ " Kagome shouted back. She snapped her blazing blue eyes up into she was staring deep into Naruto's, and watched as he finally slumped in confusion.

"Then… why would you think something like  _that_ , Kagome?" Naruto asked softly. She was his  _best friend_ —and, being honest with himself in that moment, his  _only_  friend, really—and he could not think of a single reason as to why she would think that way.

"I don't know  _what_  to think right now, Naruto," she smiled bitterly. "I'm  _so_  confused."

Kneeling down, Naruto said, "Yeah, well, confused or not, you better not think that stuff anymore, you got that?" When she only nodded lightly, he snapped, "You  _got that_ , right?"

"I got it," she replied.

"Good." Making himself comfortable,  _again_ , Naruto tried his best to cross his arm over his bandaged one. "Now that  _that's_  settled,  _what_  is the matter with you? Why are you all down, and  _why_  did you suddenly start to think that you're a bad person, huh?"

The Higurashi girl muttered softly under her breath.

" _Speak up_ ," Naruto scowled.

"Sasuke—" she paused, "—Sasuke—"  _again_ , "—he—"

Forcing himself to appear confused, Naruto made sure that he was not about to give away the fact that he  _knew_  what Kagome was about to say. " _Eh?_ " he scowled a little more. "What in the world could that stuck up Uchiha do to make you feel like dirt? Tell you that he's better looking than you? Force you to say that his clan's technique is  _way_  better than your lightning one?  _Sick his father on you?_ "

She shook her head, saying, "No."

"Then  _what_?" Naruto encouraged her to continue.

"He—" a light blush appeared on her face, "— _um_ , asked me to go on a date with him, Naruto."

The master of disguise, Naruto's jaw dropped out of instinct once she spoke. Then, allowing himself a moment to gape at her in wonder, he stuttered, "U- _U-Uchiha Sasuke w-what?!_ "

"He—" Kagome really did not wish to say it again, but it was obvious that she  _had_  to in order to make Naruto understand the seriousness of the situation. After all, it had taken her nearly an hour to stop trying to convince  _herself_  that he had asked something else entirely and she had misunderstood.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Naruto waved his hands. "There's  _no_  way—!"

"But he  _did_ ," she sighed.

"I m-mean," Naruto shook his head, stopping. "I-It was obvious that Sasuke-teme was up to something, but I never would have thought… This is… Holy—"

" _Yeah_." She smiled humorously.

"But, I was right!" he declared. "I told you he was up to  _something_ , do you remember?"

"I remember."

Silence quickly settled around them, and Naruto fidgeted a little. Then, deciding it best to get straight to the point, he asked, " _Um_ , as much as I'm going to hate to say this, Kagome, what is so  _wrong_  about that? I mean, it's not like I  _adore_  the fact that that bastard's a got a crush on you, but he had to like  _someone_  eventually, didn't he?"

"I know." Tears began to gather in her eyes,  _again_. "It's just,  _well_ , I don't want—I don't—!"

Watching her begin to cry, Naruto softly asked, " _Kagome?_ "

"Naruto, if I told him that I would—" her body trembled at the thought, "—do you think that I'd just be turning myself into one of his fan girls?"

"W- _what?_ " This was  _what_  the situation was about?! Naruto almost could not believe that Kagome would even  _think_  she could be grouped into those stupid girls that thought Uchiha Sasuke would date them when they  _stalked_  him everywhere!

"I like him  _so_  much," she admitted to him softly. "But, what if I'm just obsessed with the thought of what he  _could be_  like—?"

"I-is this why you think you're a bad person, Kagome?" he shuddered.

She nodded, stating, " _Yes_."

"Well, then,  _stop it_!" he snapped. His friend looked up at him in surprise, but he refused to remove his suddenly harsh blue eyes from her face. "You're  _nothing_  like Sakura or Mayu or Asuka or  _any_  of those other girls, Kagome! You admitted it yourself! You  _like_  Uchiha Sasuke, and  _so what_! All of them would say they  _loved_  him, but you're here fighting with the fact that you  _like_  him! There's a major difference  _right there_ , Kagome, and you should  _never_  think that you're anything like them!"

Though she was surprised with her friend's quick approval of her crush, a smile began to form on Kagome's face as she lifted her head up from her huddled position. "Thank you, Naruto," she whispered.

" _Eh?_ " the boy blinked. "Oh—" he scratched the back of his head, "—it was nothing, really."

"Still,  _thank you_."


	20. Heart to Heart

Sasuke barely shifted, allowing the cool breeze that drifted over the roof of the Uchiha mansion to pass him by. There was nothing he could do, nothing he  _wanted_  to do, while he glared harshly at the lazy clouds drifting overhead.

They were  _mocking_  him.  _Him_ , Uchiha Sasuke, because the one girl he wanted so desperately to fall at his feet had  _run away_  from his advance. What  _other_  reason would they have to drift so slowly—so  _happily_ —while he remained anchored to the ground and miserable inside?

Huffing, the Uchiha boy his gaze away from the happily little fluff balls floating above his head. There was nothing he could do to get rid of them, so really, the best option was to ignore them until the sun fell. Then, at least, the moon would show them for what they really were.

Not only that, but he had far more important issues to be concerned about.

His heart sank, and he buried his head into his folded arms, while the thought fluttered across his mind once more. Why had Kagome run  _away_  from him? Why she had looked so stunned to find out that he wanted to get close to  _her_? Why did she always have to be so damn  _oblivious_?!

She had said she would think about it— _think_  about  _it_! Yeah, right. Sasuke knew, with his luck in gaining her attention, he would be damn lucky if she ever even looked in his direction again.

What could he do, though? It was not as if he could forcibly make Kagome love him  _just_  because he desperately needed her. It was not as if he could demand she listen to his heart's desire. It was not as if he could suddenly perform some  _miracle_ —Naruto sure as hell thought he could, though!—in order to lift the veil she had placed over her eyes.

Why did it have to be so  _hard_?

Why did it have to  _hurt so much_?

Liquid gathering along the corner of his eyes, Sasuke quickly lifted his hand and rubbed at them fiercely. There was no reason to cry, his Uchiha pride refused to let him anyway, and especially over something so  _stupid_  as a girl. Because really, he was Uchiha Sasuke! He could have any girl that he wanted, and he certainly  _did not_  need Higurashi Kagome—

—even if she was beautiful, adorable, funny, kind, and the list just went on!

Sasuke's pride, no matter how hard it fought, just could not stand against the truth. He  _loved_  her. He  _needed_  her with a passion that he did not quite understand, and it broke him inside to know that there was a possibility she might turn him away. There could not be another girl, because none of those that followed him around daily, claiming they  _loved_  him, could understand the type of love he had for Kagome.

"Stop it," he ordered. His near plea went unheeded, though, as his heart throbbed.

Drowning in his own misery, the Uchiha boy closed his eyes to the world and allowed his mind to simply wander. Beneath his lids, his mind quickly conjured an image of Kagome's sweet, smiling face. It settled him a bit, knowing that she had turned that smile upon him enough for him to etch it into memory. There had been moments when he sparked her anger, yes, but she always forgave him and turned that smile upon him again.

She was  _so_  kindhearted.

Sighing, Sasuke felt his mind take another turn. It was clear to him that Naruto's continuous need to throw him into ridiculous, un-Uchiha situations—the idiot  _still_  had the audacity to call them brilliant  _plans_ —simply  _was not working_. But, what else could he do? He knew so much about Kagome, yet, at the same time, he always felt like he knew so little.

He had once told himself that he would succeed in capturing Kagome's heart by graduation. But that date was closing in fast, and he had little hope in Naruto's  _direct approach_  crap. Especially after the Higurashi girl's reaction. Now— _now!_ —it looked as if his hope to gain Kagome's love was nonexistent.

No! Shaking his head furiously, Sasuke quickly cast the very thought from his head. There was no reason for him to admit defeat! No reason for him to believe that Kagome turning him down was  _inevitable_! He could—he could—!

Damn it! It did not matter if he managed to snatch up Kagome's allusive heart before graduation! All that mattered was that day she acknowledged the fact that he needed her,  _loved her_ , and fell willing into his embrace. That one day she accepted his proposal of marriage!

That she looked him in the eye again and  _smiled_!

Clenching his fist tight, the Uchiha boy slowly allowed his huddled position to relax and straighten out. Placing his arm over his bent knee, he returned his gaze to the sky above and gazed upon the blissful little clouds—how  _happy_  they still looked—that had taunted him not long ago. They only encouraged him now, though, because he was determined to prove that he could find the happiness he wanted  _his own way_.

He was an Uchiha, damn it! There was no reason for him to use someone else's stupid plan when he could easily devise one on his own. Especially now, after gaining so much information  _from_  listening to Naruto's endless prattle and constant need to be the center of attention.

Besides, he smirked, Kagome's heart was already swaying in his direction. Naruto had told him that much, the useless brat. It did not matter if he had hit a snag in the road to her becoming his wife, because—!

"So, this is where you've been this whole time, Sasuke?" The Uchiha boy stiffened at the very sound of the other Uchiha's voice. "I would have thought mother would check the roof first. After all, it does appear to be your favorite spot."

" _Itachi_ ," Sasuke hissed.

Tilting his head slightly to one side, Itachi asked, "What's the matter, Sasuke? I would have thought you would be trailing after that Higurashi girl you've set your sight on? Or, perhaps, you've chosen to prove father's theory correct?"

"I've chosen to do  _no such thing_!" he snapped back.

"You're still  _so_  defensive." Itachi blinked down at his brother, watching his tense form closely. It was clear that there was something on the younger Uchiha's mind. However, knowing Sasuke, the boy would rather throw his fist in his direction before even attempting to speak with him like a civilized human being.

"What do you  _want_?" he asked harshly.

"I merely find it odd," Itachi said. "You were so focused upon finding something to give Higurashi Kagome from the Uchiha clan, yet now you're here,  _alone_. It does not appear you've accomplished your  _mission_  yet, in fact, it's rather obvious. So, tell me, Sasuke, do you believe sitting here will gain greater results than your previous attempts at drooling over the girl?"

Sasuke's mouth fell open in disbelief, while Itachi settled down onto the roof next to him. In his brief shock— _had Itachi just attempted to tell_ another _joke?!_ —he did not notice that his brother's form was so close to his own, nor did he notice that the older Uchiha looked, in some small way, tired as his onyx colored eyes shifted up to the lazy, happy clouds above.

Slowly, realizing that his brother was a bit stunned by his statement, Itachi lowered his gaze. He easily locked eyes with the other Uchiha, blinking just as slowly, as he waited for the venom to return to his gaze. Then—

" _What are you doing?!_ " Sasuke almost tilted over, before he managed to right himself. His foot then shifting in Itachi's direction, he planted it on the roof and scooted away from his brother's side.

Itachi merely blinked emotionlessly. When would his brother come to realize that the little competition he felt was going on between them was nothing more than fantasy? When would he realize that Itachi did not care for  _or_  about his  _ambition_?

" _Well?!_ " Sasuke demanded.

"I think that it is rather obvious, isn't it, Sasuke?" Itachi asked.

"If it was  _so_  obvious, why would I ask?" Sasuke huffed.

"Tell me, Sasuke—" Itachi felt it best to change the subject, "—has your precious Higurashi begun to notice that you're so enamored with her?"

Narrowing his eyes considerably, Sasuke slowly turned until he could see the side of Itachi's face, turned away from him once more, and glare properly at him. The fact that his brother showed so much interest in Kagome,  _still_ , did not sit well with him at all. "Why do you want to know that?"

"I was merely curious." Itachi's lip lifted into a smirk. "You see, the last time I saw you with that girl, she was repeatedly throwing her fist in your direction."

Sasuke felt his blood run cold. Then, his fist clenching, he realized that he had not even sensed Itachi's presence that day. The  _great_  and  _powerful_  Uchiha heir had slipped easily beneath his radar, watching them like the predator he was. Watching  _her_. Pondering over  _her_. And that single fact caused Sasuke to ask his next question quite slowly. "You watched me train with  _her_?"

"Yes, but I do not believe that has anything to do with what I wanted to know." Itachi shook his head a little, saying, "Has Higurashi Kagome noticed your affection, Sasuke? Or are you still trying your best to make her notice you?"

There was no denying the truth. So, quickly, Sasuke spat, "No."

" _Pity_ —"

"W- _what?_ " Sasuke stilled. Had Itachi just—?

"—I would have thought you would have at least managed to gain her attention with how determined you were." Itachi paused in thought, before continuing, "I tend to listen, Sasuke, and I've heard that you've begun to show your affection in public. Surely this girl knows that Uchiha do not typically go around giving out flowers and fending off fan girls?"

The Uchiha boy felt his face flush in embarrassment. Itachi had  _heard_  about both of those incidents? If—if Itachi had heard about both of them, there was no telling how many more people in the village knew that he had—There was no telling how long it would be before his father managed to catch word!

"Then again," Itachi mused, "the girl—"

"Don't talk about her like you know her!" Sasuke snapped. His face was still flushed from embarrassment, but he  _refused_  to listen to Itachi talk about Kagome like that.

Itachi did not reply, giving Sasuke ample time to come up with another retort.

"And—"  _damn it!_  "—she has a name!"

"That does not necessarily mean she has earned my respect, however. She might show quite a few redeeming qualities, but she is still a common kunoichi and she will need to gain my respect for me to use her proper name. Just like  _everyone else_ ," Itachi stated calmly.

"She's not—!" Sasuke growled, as his blood began to pump. How  _dare_  Itachi refer to Kagome as a  _common_ kunoichi! But, realizing that his brother was most likely attempting to gain a rise out of him, Sasuke bit his tongue and remained silent on the matter. "J-just  _shut up_ , will you!"

Itachi was rather surprised. However, he was not one to give up such an opportunity. "Sasuke—" the boy was glaring at him again, "—there's no doubt in my mind that you've had more than enough time to assess what will ultimately make Higurashi Kagome acknowledge your desire. But—"

"Yeah, well, what do  _you_  know?" Sasuke hissed through clenched teeth.

"—do you honestly believe such small displays will gain her favor?" Itachi allowed himself the moment to sigh, making sure that Sasuke noticed the action. He wanted his brother to be happy, and if upsetting him motivated him, then so be it. "If you do, I suppose father will be pleased."

"What do you mean?" the Uchiha boy asked.

"If you cannot gain Higurashi's attention, there's a high chance that you will grow tired of waiting for her attention. And,  _then_ , you will prove to father that what you feel is mere lust and can easily fade awa—"

Snarling from deep within his throat, Sasuke exploded. " _I told you to shut up!_ " He rose onto his feet, his face twisted with anger, while his brother merely blinked at him curiously. The look on Itachi's face only fueled his rage, as he snarled, "You don't know anything, Itachi! I'll prove father  _wrong_! And I'll prove to  _you_  that you're not the only one in this family that can get what he wants!"

Itachi merely smirked, and watched his brother storm away from him. "We'll see, Sasuke," he said softly. "We'll see."

* * *

Naruto kicked his sandal through the dirt, frowning deeply, while he slowly trekked back to his small apartment. Higurashi-san had been kind enough to feed him twice over, so he did not need to worry about food or hunger at least until breakfast. But, the mere thought of that delicious, mouth watering food made his mind wander and grasp onto the thought that had been nagging at him since Kagome's breakdown.

What if, unknowingly, he  _was_  trying to turn Kagome into the one thing that she feared she might become? What if, when Sasuke actually managed to make her see that he loved her, she changed into a different person that was only interested in hanging around Sasuke and doing what Sasuke was doing?

What if she actually forgot about  _him_?

Sure, he had joked quite a bit about how Uchiha Fugaku was going to try and convert her toward the Uchiha clan when he saw her training with Sasuke. He had almost forgotten about the whole conversation, really, but now he had to wonder. Was there a chance that the Uchiha leader  _would_  convert Kagome? Was there a chance Fugaku could convince her that hanging around him, Naruto the Prankster, was a bad idea?

Allowing himself a moment to sigh deeply, Naruto kicked a small pebble in his path. It bounced only a few feet, distracting him from the sudden turmoil in his mind, and then settled into place, waiting patiently for Naruto to kick it once more. Which he did, repeatedly, in hopes that the small pebble might offer him some type of reprieve.

"Hey, you, brat—!" Naruto glanced up in surprise, and groaned when he realized his pebble had hit the side of some lazy, old, drunk shinobi on the side of the road "—who the—!" the man paused, hiccupping, "—watch where you're throwing shit!"

"Sorry," Naruto mumbled. It was best to just keep walking, so, knowing his apartment building was not far off, Naruto resumed his trek. If he was lucky, he would be able to make it there without anymore trouble.

The drunkard squinted at him. Then, frowning, he said, "You're th-that  _demon brat_ , aren't you? I'd recognize your ugly face anywhere! Wh-what's the matter? Don't got any friends? Wandering the streets hoping that some poor s-sap will throw money in your direction?"

Stiffening, Naruto snapped, "I  _do to_  have friends!"

"Lia…r," the old man slurred. "Who'd want to befriend a d-demon like you?"

Naruto had never been quite sure why people called him that from time to time.  _Demon_. Blemish. But, his fist clenched at the familiar term and he gritted his teeth. "What do  _you_ know?" he hissed. "You're just some drunk old man. And, for your information, my name is Uzumaki Naruto! Learn it while you can, 'cause someday I'll be Hokage!"

"Pshw, Hokage." The man growled surprisingly well, before hiccupping once again. "This village is too smart to l-let a demon like you ever be…come Hokage. You'd be better off—"

Naruto blinked in surprise, as another shinobi gripped the drunkard by the shirt and lifted him from the ground. He took a step back on instinct, noticing the Uchiha emblem, and watched as the jounin scowled deeply into the old man's grimacing face.

"You're coming with me," the jounin stated. "There's a law around here, old man, about being drunk in public. And, for the life of me, I'd wish you'd learn it soon."

Snorting, the old man said, "No, you're only going to drag me away because we're forbidden to—!"

" _Shut up!_ " the Uchiha commanded. Then, turning, he addressed the Uzumaki boy, saying, "I suggest you move along, Uzumaki Naruto. And don't think about pulling something while along the way, unless you want to be escorted to the Hokage."

Naruto only scowled, silently agreeing as the Uchiha disappeared along with the intoxicated old man. Then, alone, he whispered, "What'd he know?! Stupid old man,  _of course_  I have friends!"

B-but, there was still the possibility that he was—

Naruto shook his head violently as the very thought wandered across his mind. No! Just no! He was  _not_  slowly turning Kagome into an Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club member! She was  _so_ much better than that, which was the reason why she  _was_  his friend! A-and, not only that but—" _Naruto, I'm not going to forget about you. I don't know how anyone could._ "—Kagome had promised to always be his friend, and she  _never_  broke a promise!

It was  _stupid_  for him to have even worried about it in the first place! In fact, he was not even sure  _why_  he had chosen to worry about it!

Nodding curtly to himself, Naruto squared his shoulders and began to walk. There was no reason to worry about Kagome's situation! She would—or she  _better_ , after all the effort he had put into Sasuke's endeavor—probably become Uchiha Sasuke's girlfriend, but that was fine, because she would be his friend no matter what anyone else tried to tell her!

Besides! He still have a mission to complete! And—!

Blinking rapidly, Naruto smiled as luck decided to shine down upon him. He quickly forgot about what he had been thinking about, as he lifted his hand into the air and waved it in excitement. " _Sasuke!_ "


	21. Revelation

" _Sasuke!_ " Naruto shouted again, ignoring the few, odd glances he got from the people wandering home in the evening. This was his chance, and, Uzumaki Naruto was  _never_  one to give up an opportunity when it stared him in the face!

Well, except for that one time, but that was not important.

He waved again, snickering underneath his breath from the way the Uchiha boy stiffened instinctively upon spotting him. "Sasuke!" he called, watching the boy turn away from him. "Hey! Look at me when I'm talking to you, Sasuke-teme!"

"Surely Uchiha Sasuke is not  _friends_  with that…  _thing_."

Naruto slowed in his step—he had not even realized he was running—and barely sent a glance in the direction of the woman he had heard speaking. She was leaning close to the woman next to her, probably hoping that he had not caught the hint of her conversation. She pulled away from her companion the moment she noticed his stare, blushing a bit despite the light glare she was casting upon him.

He scowled back at her, because the very idea was ridiculous. He would  _never_  be friends with the emotionally constipated Uchiha that he had the misfortune of going to the Academy with.  _Never_. Not even if Kagome finally fell at his feet and begged to be his girlfriend. Not even if Kagome asked him time and again to at least be  _nice_  to the bastard. Not even if Kagome—!

"Don't be silly." The other woman chuckled a little, adding, "Uchiha Sasuke would  _never_  be dumb enough to become friends with that little outcast. He's probably just tutoring the boy out of pity because he cannot perform the simplest of jutsu."

Turning red with anger, Naruto resisted the urge to suddenly point in their direction and set them straight. For one, it would probably get him only laughed at. For two, he really needed to tell the dark haired boy what he had discovered and there was no time for drawing such unneeded attention to himself.

Growling, Naruto was surprised when his shoulder was bumped harshly. He turned on his foot, barely regaining his balance by flailing his good arm out at his side. "Who the—?" he began to demand, before catching sight of the Uchiha emblem walking away from him. " _You bastard_ , get back here!"

Sasuke ignored him for the most part. He had only happened to turn down this street and notice the blonde shinobi-in-training through a stroke of luck. Though, then again, from the way he was grumbling, and most likely shaking his fist at his back, it was not so much a stroke of luck, but a stroke of idiocy on his part. "Hurry up,  _dobe_ , I don't have all day."

"Oohh, don't call me that,  _Sasuke-teme_!"

Snorting, Sasuke merely stated, "Take your own advice for once."

Recognizing the Uchiha's foul mood, Naruto stopped immediately. Then, frowning deeply, he said, "What is wrong with everyone today? First Kagome, now you. Was there some kind of memo that went around the village about being depressed that I missed?"

"Tch." Sasuke could not help the superior smirk that crossed his face, as he slowly turned to gaze upon the idiot. "You think I'm  _depressed_? You're more of an idiot than I originally thought, dobe."

His face twisting into an unpleasant glare, Naruto stared long and hard at the Uchiha. Because, he knew he was  _right_. There was definitely something rubbing the other boy the wrong way, and, being the Uchiha jerk that he was, he felt the need to twist it into pure, raw rage in order to appease his precious pride.

"I'm the farthest thing from depressed," Sasuke continued. "In fact, you could say I'm quite  _cheerful_ , because I've finally figured out what I've been doing wrong this whole time. Would you like to know why, dobe? Would you like to know why I haven't succeeded in the  _one_  thing you said you could help me accomplish?"

Here it comes—

The Uchiha could not control himself, despite the little voice in the back of his head that seemed to suddenly take the Uzumaki's side. He merely ignored it, hissing, "It's  _you_.  _You_ 're the reason that I've been unable to figure out a way to make Kagome—make her—" It was only the fact that they might not be alone that stopped the sentence before it ended. "— _You_.  _You_  and  _you_ 're stupid, moronic plans that only have me running in circles. And,  _you_  knew this would happen, too, didn't  _you_?  _You_  knew that—!"

"Uh huh," Naruto cut him off quite nicely. The other boy sent him an equally unpleasant scowl, clearly upset that he had not been able to get his complete point across. "And, tell me, Sasuke-teme, does it matter to  _you_  that I was about to tell  _you_  why Kagome ran away from  _you_?"

"It's obvious that she—" The anger he had felt toward Itachi surfaced completely, and Sasuke wished in that moment that it was not against Konoha law to take the life of fellow shinobi. Then again, if the idiot planned to push him much farther, he would  _gladly_  try his hardest to hide the evidence.

"Does it matter to you that I was about to tell you that Kagome is so confused about why she likes  _you_  that you're making her question every  _little_  thing? That, because of  _you_ , she thinks that she might be—" he gritted his teeth just thinking about it, "—that she might be a bad person."

"W-why would she think  _that_?" Sasuke look as if he had been slapped, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open at the very notion. Why in the world would Higurashi Kagome, the girl he hoped would spend the rest of her life with him, believe she was a bad person?

"Because, if you would just shut up and listen to me, I was going to tell you that I found Kagome underneath this stupid, old tree on her family's property." Naruto sighed at the Uchiha's confused look, adding, "According to her, Higurashi-san once told her that she realized she was in love with her father while standing underneath the thing. They think it's some spiritual  _thing_ , or something."

"That doesn't answer my—"

Despite the fact that Sasuke's scowl nearly turned menacing, Naruto was not about to let him finish. This was about  _his_  best friend. This was something that he needed to fix, and he needed to fix it  _now_. And, even if Sasuke became his best friend's boyfriend, he, Uzumaki Naruto, would still be able to say that he had been with Kagome from the beginning. He had been in her life first, and there was nothing that Uchiha  _flipping_  Sasuke could do about it.

So, he cut him off a third time, saying, "I'm not finished, so  _shut up_  and  _listen_ , will ya. I found Kagome underneath this tree, and I asked her what was wrong, only for her to tell me that you'd asked her out. I'd already known that, but, you know what I didn't know?"

" _What?_ " Sasuke asked. It was rather a surprise to him to find out that Naruto could act forceful, instead of like the idiotic, smiling boy that he always seemed to be. But, he supposed, at least the blonde was getting to the point for once.

"Kagome likes you, she does, but she's—" Naruto closed his eyes, wishing he could forget the sorrowful, dejected look that he remembered in her eyes at the time, "—she's afraid that what she feels for you isn't real. That she's only another  _fan girl_."

"That's—" Sasuke paused himself, "—that's ridiculous."

"Yeah, I  _know_." Naruto sighed, saying, "But, apparently, what we have to do now is make Kagome understand that what she feels  _is_  real. That the insensitive, rude, emotionally constipated jerk that gave her a flower  _is real_."

" _Naruto_." Sasuke's glare would have killed him if it could have.

"We have to  _prove_  to Kagome that you actually want to date her. That you're not just playing around with her heart as a joke. B-but," Naruto sighed again, "I'm not quite sure what will make her believe you. I've  _never_  seen her look that confused and downhearted. I mean, you could just come out and say it, but, look at where that got you last time."

"What do you purpose we do then?" Sasuke was thoroughly surprised,  _again_. The idiot could actually learn from his mistakes, which meant,  _maybe_ , it would not be such a bad idea to keep him around for a little while more. "Or are you out of sudden,  _brilliant_  plans?"

"Ha!" Naruto grinned suddenly. He could not keep his serious face for very long, and he supposed it was only because of the Uchiha boy's harsh declaration that had helped him become so demanding with him. Then again, he snickered lightly, the Uchiha  _did_  deserve a swift kick in the butt. " _As if_  I, the great Uzumaki Naruto, could  _ever_  run out of brilliant plans!"

" _Well,_ " Sasuke demanded, "what do you  _suggest_?"

"Um, well, you see," Naruto coughed, before rubbing the disgustingly pink bandages around his burned arm. "You can't expect such a genius to come up with a plan  _on the spot_! I need time to think, time to work out the situation, time to…  _sleep on it_. Yeah! That's it! Time to sleep on it!"

"So,  _tomorrow_?" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

The idiot  _returns_  with a vengeance.

"Yes!" Naruto nodded. "Tomorrow I shall have a new plan of action, and then we'll prove to Kagome that she  _isn't_  just some stupid fan girl that can only think about drooling over you!"

Shaking his head, Sasuke quickly turned on his foot and began to leave. The quicker he managed to escape the blonde's idiocy, the more likely it was that he did not catch it himself.

" _Hey!_ " Naruto frowned. "Where are you going?"

"Away from you," Sasuke called back.

"Well,  _how rude_." Naruto huffed, shouting, "This is what I mean, Sasuke-teme! You're a jerk! I mean,  _seriously_ , how hard is it to say good bye?"

However, despite his question, Naruto made no move to stop him from disappearing. He merely cursed a little, swinging his good arm as if some invisible enemy were about, before deciding that it was time to go home. After all, despite the fact that he did not want to, he  _did_  have to visit the hospital before he went to the Academy tomorrow.

"And hopefully get these  _stupid pink bandages off_!" he cried.

* * *

The kunoichi-in-training glanced up, before frowning and turning onto her other side so she would not have to look at the little brat that had decided to enter her sanctuary. "What do you want, Souta?" she asked, a slight growl in her voice.

"Kagome-nee-chan," the boy frowned himself. He was not quite sure what was wrong, but he knew that there had to be  _something_  the matter with his sister. After all, she had not bothered to sneer or comment on the fact that he was entirely the reason she had gotten in trouble a while ago. "Mama said that dinner is ready."

" _Oh?_ "

"Yeah." Souta nearly bit his lip from concern. "She, well, she made oden. I'm not sure why, I mean, we had it only a couple of days ago, but—"

The fact that the smell, the  _stated fact_ , that their mother had made oden, Kagome's favorite dish, did nothing to stir his sister from her position really upset the youngest Higurashi. Kagome  _loved_  oden. She raced to the table in order to be the first person to dig in the moment their mother said they could. She made  _certain_  that she got a huge portion of the stuff.

What was  _wrong_  with his sibling?

"Kagome-nee-chan, I—" Souta's young mind could not understand the reason that she would ignore her favorite food, so he began to cry, "— _I'm sorry that I got you in trouble!_ "

Sighing through her nose, Kagome slowly shifted her position until she could see her brother. He had bent over the side of the bed, nearly placing his face between his knees, while sudden, large drops of tears sprang from his eyes and washed down his face. "Please don't cry, Souta."

"B- _b-but, this is all my fault!_ " He hiccupped when she wrapped herself around him, pulling him into a tight hug in order to tell him, silently, it was all right. " _I-I shouldn't have—!_ "

"Its  _not_  your fault, Souta." She hushed him, because, in all honesty,  _she_  was the reason for his sadness.  _She_  was the one making him cry when he did not need to. "I'm just—well—um, this boy that I really like asked me to— _um_ —do  _something_  with him, and…"

Souta glanced up suddenly in surprise. Kagome  _really liked_  a boy?

Kagome felt an all too familiar blush rise up on her cheeks, as she remembered Uchiha Sasuke's stumbling attempt to ask her with she would like to go on a date with him. It had been rather  _cute_ , but,  _why_? Why would he want to go on a date with  _her_  when there were so many other girls that would be willing to? "I  _really_  like him, Souta," she confessed. "I  _really_ do, but,  _well_ , I just a little confused."

Souta frowned. If his sister liked this boy, then why she was so down and out? Why did she not just go tell him that she would like to do this  _thing_  with him and get it over with? "Kagome-nee-chan—?"

Wiping the salt water away from his cheeks, Kagome ignored his question. Instead, she smiled a little, and, grabbing his hand, said, "Come on, Souta. Why don't we go downstairs and get something to eat, 'kay?"

His question forgotten, Souta nodded. "'Kay."

* * *

"Do you think he'll be ok, Lee?"

Neji did not bother to listen to the taijutsu specialist's response, as he quickly marched back into the village and away from the annoyance that he was forced to call his  _squad_. Gai-sensei would make sure to take care of all the minor details with the Hokage, and there was absolutely no reason for him to stay while they  _celebrated_.

It was ridiculous that they wanted to celebrate, anyway. They had only been assigned to escorting some foreign noble daughter's precious  _furniture_. The likelihood that  _any_  shinobi would attack such merchandise was slim to none, and  _that_  was the reason it had only been a C-ranked mission.

Touching Konoha soil, though, Neji's mind seemed to take a hard left. And, in the process, his thoughts were immediately filled with brief, lovely memories that he had had the honor of earning. The most prominent, though, the memory that caused him to slowly close his eyes and sigh, was that of Higurashi Kagome's sweet, innocent form falling toward him in surprise, before, in an instant, her mouth was pressed delicately against his own.

How soft her lips had been. How warm her slowly developing curves had seemed. How beautiful her eyes had become when, for a single moment, she blinked and appeared to lean against him for support.

The Byakugan missed  _nothing_. It sharpened his sight, his very senses, and the Hyuuga was positive that what he had not been mistaken in that small moment. Fate had strummed a single thread then, showed him his future, and, after having  _so much_  time outside the village to think about his current situation, Neji was positive that Fate had not steered him wrong.

Higurashi Kagome was meant to be  _his_. He, Hyuuga Neji, was the one meant to hold and cherish her oblivious little heart, and there was  _nothing_  that that Uchiha brat could do to change that fact.

There was no need to violence—even if,  _admittedly_ , he could have easily beaten the Uchiha into an early grave—and no need to view him as a potential  _rival_  for Kagome's love.

The sweet Higurashi would recognize the Uchiha's devious nature with time. She would realize her mistake, and then she would come to him knowing that he was the one that loved her.  _He_  was the one willing to deny and fight Hyuuga law in order to be with her.  _He_  was the one willing to risk his very life to obtain her hand in marriage.  _He_  was the one that… _needed_  her.

Fate was a cruel thing, but, Neji was positive that this hand it had dealt him was not an unlucky one.

Higurashi Kagome was  _meant_ —

The Hyuuga boy halted in mid step, pressing down the sudden rage that swelled within his chest upon spotting the one face that he had learned to hate beyond all reason. The calm exterior he showed to the world remained, yet, the anger he had deemed ridiculous surfaced once more as the other boy's dark eyes met his own.

" _Hyuuga_." Uchiha Sasuke's arrogance had not diminished, it seemed, and Neji immediately felt the need to knock him down a peg or two.

" _Uchiha_." It was not difficult to return the same amount of venom in his voice, considering there was no doubt in his mind the Uchiha boy had not heeded his warning. The look in his eye alone told Neji that the insolent brat was still vying for Kagome's heart, and it lifted his own ego a bit to know that, despite the amount of time he had been given to work without interference, he had not obtained it.

It was only proving what he knew to be true, after all.

Though—

"I was starting to get  _worried_." The dark haired boy smirked in a way that quickly rubbed Neji the wrong way. "You were gone for quite some time, and I had thought that you might have  _dropped_  something along the way."

—there was just something in the way he stood that the lavender-eyed boy could not decipher. One little detail that seemed  _off_  from the last time they had encountered one another. Though, really, he snorted, it would not matter in the end.

"And, I see you are  _still_  trying to change the inevitable," the Hyuuga boy sneered back.

There it was,  _again_. That slight twitch in the Uchiha's lip. That small, insignificant little  _twitch_  that only resulted in wrenching Neji's heart inside his chest. What could it  _mean_? What did the Uchiha suddenly believe he had in his favor?  _What had happened_  while he was outside the village?

"Do you  _still_  think you can beat your  _belief_  into me?" The Uchiha's arrogance sickened him to the core, and Neji snorted again. It was more than belief, it was a  _fact_ , and the Uchiha's superior act was quickly proving his point. "You might have hit me last time, but I'm sure we're  _both_  clear how it would have ended if your squad member hadn't showed up."

" _Yes_." Neji finally smirked back, resisting the urge to rush the Uchiha boy. "I  _would_  have beaten you black and blue, Uchiha. How kind of you to clarify that fact."

Uchiha Sasuke growled, his eyes darkening in the fading sunlight. It was obvious that he had finally had a nerve rubbed the wrong way, and Neji was quite glad to know he was the one to do so. "I would have liked to  _see_  you try," he hissed.

Making a sound in the back of his throat, Neji shifted his stance only slightly. He did not need the Byakugan to know that he was quickly and  _easily_  winning their little argument. "I believe I've heard that one before."

" _Oh?_ "

"Yes, and it is that same arrogance that will get you nowhere when it comes to Kagome." Neji  _refused_  to allow the insolent little Uchiha brat to goad him into another meaningless fight. Higurashi Kagome was  _meant_  to be  _his_ , and she  _would be_  with time. "You're nothing but a fool, Uchiha Sasuke. Do you honestly believe that insignificant little gestures like that one in the market will make her  _love you_? That  _flowers_  will make someone as precious as Kagome  _fall at your feet_?"

The Uchiha did not respond, and Neji sneered in triumph. The boy seemed to be biting his tongue, and it amused him greatly to know that he could not come up with a comeback in such a small period of time.

"Play your little  _game_ , Uchiha," he continued. "But,  _remember_ , that, no matter what you do, Kagome  _will be mine_. There is  _nothing_  you can do to change that fact, and I will gladly watch in amusement as your entire plan falls to ruin around you."

Deciding that he had had enough of the brat, Hyuuga Neji turned on his heel and began to walk away. However, a grin briefly forming on his face, he could not help but throw a mocking, " _Good luck_ " over his shoulder.

His back turned, Neji did not notice the brightening realization that spread throughout Sasuke's onyx colored eyes with each step that he took in the opposite direction. The odd little light that, unbeknownst to the Hyuuga boy, would never had formed if it were not for his desire to put Sasuke beneath him.


	22. Simplicity

It was  _so_  simple, Sasuke could not believe that he had not thought of it in the first place. And, while he hated to admit it, he would never have come up with the plan if it were not for Itachi and that arrogant, foolish Hyuuga.

"Hey, Sasuke-teme, are you  _listening_  to me,  _at all_?" Naruto frowned deeply at the Uchiha boy, as he sat, silently, with his chin resting upon his folded knuckles. "I'm  _trying_  to help you here, and— _Ugh!_   _Pay attention, will ya!_ "

If anyone were to ever find out  _how_  he had figured it out, though, Sasuke would deny it. Or, if anything, give most of the credit to his brother, since that  _stupid_  Hyuuga did not even know he had thrown the correct memory in Sasuke's face when he needed it.

Not only  _that_ , but that  _stupid_  Hyuuga did not realize that he had the facts backwards. The only thing that Kagome  _did_  notice were the small,  _insignificant_  little gestures that any other girl probably would have ignored. While other girls would have noticed immediately that an item was not the  _best_  or the  _finest_  or the  _most expensive_ , Kagome was happy to accept it simply because it was a  _gift_.

It was meant for  _her_.

" _Hey!_ " Naruto growled. What?  _What?_  Was Sasuke suddenly hard of hearing? Did he  _not_  understand that he was trying  _very hard_  to help him in his endeavor?  _That he had the perfect plan!!_

"Hn?"

Noticing the way Sasuke's onyx colored eyes slid onto him, the blonde shinobi-in-training made sure to growl in his face. "I've got the  _perfect_  plan over here, and you're not even bothering to listen to me! What's the matter,  _huh_? Have you suddenly decided to let, I don't know,  _Hyuuga Neji_  become Kagome's boyfriend?"

" _Tch_." Sasuke rolled his eyes. That was the stupidest thing he had  _ever_  heard. If he  _were_  to let Hyuuga Neji become Kagome's anything, it would,  _most definitely_ , be the person that had the honor of licking the scrum off the bottom of her sandal.

" _Oh my—That's it, isn't it!_ " Naruto's eyes widened dramatically, before he gave a fake, loud cry. He was surprised that Iruka-sensei did not come charging into the room, despite the fact that Academy hours had not started yet, but Naruto did not let it bother him. Instead, he threw out his arm, trying to make sure that everyone knew those dreaded, awful,  _pink_ bandages were finally  _gone_  and pretended to cry.

"You're an idiot," Sasuke stated.

" _What?_ " Naruto scowled suddenly. "I'm practicing for later! You  _know_ , when Kagome's all like, ' _Oh, Naruto!_  Why are you at the Academy on time,  _again_?!' and I'm all like, ' _Oh, Kagome!_ Look at my arm! Look at  _it_! Your horrible, mean, cruel damage is  _gone_  and you do not have to worry anymore!'"

Watching the idiot's display, waving and pointing at his  _now_  uninjured arm, Sasuke merely blinked. Then, as slowly as he could, he said, "You're  _still_  an idiot."

" _Eh?_ " Sputtering in outrage, Naruto replied, "You j-just  _don't_  understand!"

"I think I made it perfectly clear that I understand  _quite_  well," Sasuke mumbled. Naruto's constant need for banter was useless at that point, otherwise he would have made sure the blonde could hear his remark.

Squinting at the Uchiha boy, Naruto got as close as he dared. "Hm."

Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke snapped, " _What?_ " He did  _not_  appreciate the idiot's sudden desire to be close to him, nor did he  _want_  to feel his breath fanning against his favorite shirt.

"Oh,  _nothing_ ," Naruto snickered. "I was just trying to see how close I could get without catching  _something_  from you."

" _Dobe_ ," Sasuke growled.

Grinning, Naruto leaned back and patted the Uchiha on the shoulder, despite his attempt to shrug him away each and every time. "Ah, I was just kiddin', Sasuke-teme!  _But_ , now that I have your attention, could we  _please_  go back to the plan?"

Finally swatting the other boy's hand away, Sasuke leveled a glare upon him and frowned. The idiot was becoming  _far_  too familiar with him lately. Almost as if he, through some idiotic thinking process, had come to the conclusion that he was entitled. And, no doubt, that was because he was Kagome's  _best friend_  and all.

" _Eh?_ " Naruto blinked rapidly at the Uchiha's strange response, before frowning deeply himself. He leaned in again, asking, "Hey, Sasuke- _teme_ , do you know that your face can get stuck like that if you do it too often?"

Deciding that the blonde shinobi-in-training was too close for his liking, Sasuke made a very instinctive move by placing his hand on the other boy's face and pushing him away. "Don't _touch me_ ," he said.

Unwilling to do so, since it was clearly getting on the Uchiha's nerves, Naruto pressed back into his hand. He closed the his eye to keep the Uchiha from poking it out, while grinning the best he could while his face was squished up against the boy's flesh. " _'ey!_ " He chuckled, trying to catch his eye with his only open one. " _What's the matter, Sasuke-teme?_ "

His voice coming out as little more than a hiss, Sasuke said, "I told you to  _get away from me_!"

"But—!" Naruto knew he was pushing it. He could see it in the way Sasuke was beginning to glare at him harshly. "—Sasuke, I'm  _only_  trying to tell you about my brilliant plan—!"

"I  _said_ —!"

"—it involves  _you_  and  _Kagome_  and some  _dango_ , and—!"

Sasuke nearly fell over from the suggestive wiggle that Naruto put in his eyebrow while stating that sentence. However, someone as idiotic as Uzumaki Naruto would  _not_  defeat him! So, planting his feet firmly on the ground, he put his entire body weight into pushing the other boy away from his personal space.

"— _Ohh,_ come on, it'll be— _Eh?!_ " Naruto's sudden drive to win disappeared, as the classroom door clicked open. The situation suddenly seemed all too familiar, as he felt the force of Sasuke pushing him away diminish.

Then, the door swinging open, Sasuke finally reacted by shoving the Uzumaki boy over. He smirked only a little, amused, when the idiot landed on his back, swinging and kicking despite the fact he was still half seated in the seat he had been pushed from. "I told you not to touch me," Sasuke told him.

Iruka, stepping into the classroom, could only sigh at the all too familiar sight. From what he saw, the two boys were finally learning how to work together, and yet, they still managed to fight every other chance they got. And,  _really_ , Academy hours had not even started! He did  _not_  deserve to deal with this!

"Oh! I just knew  _it_!" Mizuki clapped. The Hyuuga Neji Fan Club member then flipped her hair over her shoulder, a bright smile on her lips, because every time she caught Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto together, she was  _positive_  that she was another step closer to Neji's heart!

Growling from his tangle position, Naruto leaned up the best he could, and glared deeply at the Uchiha smirking down at him. "I  _hate_  you."

* * *

Naruto slowly slid his eyes over to his best friend, while she patiently waited for Iruka-sensei to dismiss them to the Academy training grounds. Today, after all, was the day that they were scheduled to practice their technique and show Iruka-sensei that they had improved since the last time they had been allowed out.

"What is it, Naruto?" Kagome asked quietly.

"You look," Naruto paused, before saying, " _good_."

Tilting her head in her friend's direction, the Higurashi girl blinked at the silent, blue-eyed stare he had focused upon her. "You don't have to worry, Naruto!" she whispered. A grin spread across her face, before she returned her face to the front of the class. "I'm  _fine_!"

" _Uh huh._ " Naruto did not believe  _that one_  for a minute.

"I'm serious," she sighed. "My grandpa decided after dinner that I was acting too emotional for him—Rule Number 25, y'know—so he took Souta and I out to show us a new technique. I haven't perfected it yet, but I'm really  _excited_  about showing it to Iruka-sensei."

His concern for his friend's mental health forgotten, Naruto grinned at the excitement she truthfully showed. " _Really?!_ " he asked. "Is it as completely  _awesome_  as all those other lightning techniques he's been teaching you?"

Iruka took a deep breath.

"It's a water technique, Naruto," Kagome replied.

" _Eh?!_ " Naruto made a face, making sure that Kagome understood his displeasure with the information. "A water technique! What in the  _world_  are you going to do with a  _water_ technique?"

The rest of the class turned to find out  _what_  exactly Uzumaki Naruto had decided was far more important than Iruka-sensei's instructions. This time, that is, since it was not a  _rare_ occurrence for the Uzumaki boy to make a ruckus.

Sakura rolled her eyes, hissing, " _Naruto_."

Iruka took another long,  _deep_  breath.

" _Seriously?_ " Naruto continued. He did not notice when Kagome stiffened beneath the sudden attention, nor did he notice when Iruka-sensei seemed to pop a vein the more he chose to speak. "A water technique is just like,  _eeh!_  compared to all those totally awesome lightning ones he's been teaching you!  _In fact_ , I think that that old man's just trying to punish you, because—!"

" _Uzumaki Naruto, will you_ please _be quiet!_ " Iruka finally exploded.

His face falling in an instant, Naruto nearly jumped out of his seat. And, feeling the impending doom from the front of the classroom, Naruto tried to simply laugh away the whole situation. "I-Iruka-sensei, I, uh, well,  _uh_ —!"

" _Now!!_ " Iruka hollered.

Recognizing the look on Iruka-sensei's face all too well, Naruto wondered for a moment if he should run. But, as his toes twitched in order to do so, he felt Kagome's hand grip onto his sleeve and practically glue him to his seat. " _Hey!_ " he cried. " _Kagome, what are you doing?!_ "

"I told you I was fine—" an evil grin stretched across Kagome's lips, causing her best friend to freeze on the spot. There was no doubt in her mind that he understood the reason she was keeping him there, as, slowly but surely, Uchiha Sasuke turned in his seat to watch them struggle against one another, "and you  _didn't_  believe me, so this is your  _punishment_ , Uzumaki Naruto."

" _Let me go!_ " Naruto whined. He had  _not_  noticed when the dark haired Uchiha turned to look at them. " _Let me go!_ "

A frown instantly taking over her face, Kagome gasped in disbelief. He had not—! What kind of  _friend_  was he?! " _You idiot!_ " she shouted. " _Sit down and shut up before I make you!_ "

Watching as Higurashi Kagome slung one arm around Uzumaki Naruto's neck, the rest of the class quickly began to whisper amongst themselves on who would win the struggle before Iruka-sensei put a stop to it. The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club was quick to place their favor with Naruto, despite the fact he was dead last in the Academy rank, because there was simply  _no way_  any of them were going to cheer on that little Higurashi  _twit_.

" _Come on, Kagome!_ " Naruto yelped, as, suddenly, the Higurashi tipped them both out of his seat and into the aisle. He heard her breath leave her when his elbow dug into her side, and nearly laughed manically at the small victory. "Give a friend a break, will ya?"

" _Nar-u-to_ ," Kagome hissed. That had  _really_  hurt, the jerk! How dare he ask to be let go,  _again_ , after he purposely hit her in the side with his pointy little elbow!

"Oh no," Naruto whispered. He began to struggle anew, trying to wriggle out of the kunoichi-in-training's hold. Then, fearing for his life, he called out, " _Iruka-sensei, help me!_ "

Oddly enough, Iruka-sensei appeared to have simply leaned into his desk in defeat. The class, however, quickly turned silent when a loud crack resonated from the front of the classroom where Iruka-sensei stood. Even Naruto and Kagome, struggling upon the floor, glanced forward, and watched as Iruka-sensei lifted his hand to show off the piece of wood he had snapped off from the corner of his desk.

"Uh oh," Kagome gulped. She scrambled off of Naruto as quickly as she could, diving back underneath her desk, before sliding neatly into her seat.

Naruto was not so lucky, as Iruka-sensei's face snapped up and found him still sitting in the aisle. "Uh,  _uh_ ,  _uh_ , Iruka-sensei, it wasn't my fault—!"

" _NARUTO!_ "

* * *

"Nghhh, my head." Naruto pouted at his best friend, trying to make her understand, and quickly frowned when he noticed that she was watching Uchiha Sasuke. "Come on, Kagome, I'm sitting here with a head injury, and all you can do is ogle Sasuke-teme!"

"I am  _not_ ," she denied. She was rather glad that they were forced to sit away from the rest of the class as punishment until Iruka-sensei gave them the signal to practice. Otherwise, she probably would have throttled the shinobi-in-training for saying such a thing in front of everyone.

"Yeah," Naruto mumbled spitefully. "That's  _definitely_  not the reason you're blushing then, either."

Snapping her head away, she mumbled back, "I can't help it,  _ok_?"

"I know," Naruto sighed. "And, I kind of understand, but,  _come on_ , Kagome, Iruka-sensei threw a piece of his desk  _at my head_! You could at least  _try_  to act concerned for a little while, couldn't you?"

"I'm sorry." She knew that he was right, so, reaching out, she poked a bit at the bump that Iruka-sensei had succeeded in forming on his head. "Does it hurt a lot?"

" _Yes_ , yes it does." He swatted her hand away, hissing a little at the feel of her nail probing the tender flesh. "So,  _stop_  touching it! This isn't a freak show or something, you know!"

Giggling a little, she made sure to poke his injury one more time.

"I said—" Naruto began.

"Hey, Kagome—" the duo snapped their eyes up to find Yamanaka Ino looking down upon them, "—Masao-sensei said that he wants you to demonstrate that new water technique you were talking about in class.  _Um_ , apparently Iruka-sensei told him that you and Naruto were fighting about it, and he  _really_  wants to see it."

It was clear that the insane ninjutsu instructor made Ino nervous, from the way she was glancing back in his direction. But—

"That's so  _awesome_!" Naruto grinned. He hissed a little when he bumped his injury with his hand, trying to cheer properly, but did not let it deter his smile. "Now, we'll really get to see whether or not that crazy old grandfather of yours is teaching you something worth while!"

" _Do you want to be hit again, Naruto?_ "

Her voice nearly murderous, Naruto quickly shook his head in the negative. " _No_."

Rising to her feet, Kagome said, "That's what I thought." She had not  _meant_  to snap at Naruto so suddenly, but, ever since Uchiha Leiko had decided to take a stab at her precious grandfather's past, she was quick to react when someone questioned his mentality.  _Yes_ , he was, maybe, a little too focused on the past and what he once was, but that did not mean that he still was not one of the greatest shinobi that Konoha had ever had!

* * *

Sasuke watched closely, as Higurashi Kagome jogged over to Masao-sensei's side and bowed. The sight of her tightened his stomach into a knot, knowing that it would not be long until he would need to implement his new plan. Yet, knowing that the Higurashi girl was not oppose to his affection and was nearly effected by the mere sight of him, the feeling in his stomach did not seem as intense as it normally did.

"You ready, Higurashi?" Masao-sensei asked.

"Yes, Masao-sensei!"

Straightening up a bit, Sasuke noticed the way Kagome's hair flipped as she turned on her heel to face away from the rest of the class. Her feet spread a part, as her arms lifted, and then, without hesitation, she began to shift through a series of hand seals that he could not quite see from the angle and doubted he would recognize.

"Water Release—" her hand lifted toward the sky in one fluid motion, and a large, imposing wall of water began to form in the air around her, "— _Infinite Blades!_ "

The first swipe of her hand seemed to do nothing, and the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club members began to whisper in mocking tones nearby. Sasuke resisted the urge to glare at them, making sure to keep his eyes on Kagome when he recognized the feel of chakra pulsing from her body.

The kunoichi-in-training then swept another hand through the water before her, chakra pulsing, and the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club nearly squealed in fright when a large blade of wall released itself from the wall of water and crashed into the farthest wall. A clear cut had appeared in the cement, but it did not seem that the Higurashi girl was done, as, rapidly, she began to sweep her hands through the water as quickly as she was able.

Blades of water rushed forth, chakra sharpening each edge, and began to eat away at the wall that had been chosen as their opponent. The attack was devastating while it lasted, chucks of cement flying as each new blade of water chipped deeper into the wall.

Masao-sensei cackled, stopping Kagome with a single hand to her shoulder. "No reason to destroy the poor thing, Higurashi!" he laughed. "Though, I'm sure you understand that attack is rather limited. Any trained shinobi would probably get away after realizing the blades were all coming from the same direction, and, not only that, but it was eating up your chakra pretty quick there."

There was a slight pant in Kagome's voice, though she seemed rather pleased with the ninjutsu instructor's comment. "Yes, Masao-sensei. My grandfather told me that when I have the technique perfected, I should be able to command the initial water into a dome around myself for a more devastating attack."

Sasuke smirked a bit to himself. The way the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club girls huffed and whined amongst themselves greatly amused him, because it was clear that they believed they could perform a much better technique should the need arise. When, in fact, Sasuke knew that none of them could perform such a high level technique so flawlessly.

And it only cemented Sasuke in his decision to enact his plan.

* * *

"That was  _so_  cool!" Naruto grinned from ear to ear. "It was like,  _WHAM!_  and then,  _BAM!_  and, and, I'm sorry about calling your grandfather a crazy old coot, Kagome! That was the _coolest_  water technique I've  _ever_  seen!"

Amused by the way Naruto tried to duplicate the movement he had seen her use during the technique, Kagome smiled brightly. "I told you that water techniques were pretty awesome, didn't I? And you want to know the coolest part—?"

"What?  _What?_ " Naruto asked. "Come on,  _tell me_!"

"—I figured out that if I push enough chakra into the water at the end of the attack, like, when I'm running low, the water will form the blades without my help," Kagome told him. "I haven't told my grandpa yet, because, well, he has a habit of telling me that I'm ruining a perfectly good technique that's been tested time and again.  _But_ , I think if I  _do_  manage to figure out all the little details, he'll be really pleased, since I could, in theory, create a bunch of water walls and make them all shoot blades at the same time."

"You gotta teach me that technique, Kagome," Naruto said. "Please?"

" _Well_." Kagome giggled a little at Naruto's suddenly large, pouting eyes. But, she still drew out the single word, making the Uzumaki boy squirm underneath her stare. "I guess I could."

Naruto cheered, bouncing back and forth on his feet, until, turning in a circle, he noticed Uchiha Sasuke heading in their direction. He stopped in his movement, quickly putting on a nice little frown for the Uchiha, as he said, "What do  _you_  want, Sasuke-teme?"

Kagome felt her heart flutter into motion at the mention of the Uchiha boy, as she slowly turned her head to make sure Naruto was not joking with her. She had been fighting with her constant need to blush and her heart's desperate need to pick up speed beneath his stare all day. And, while she had been doing quite well, the sight of him walking toward her seemed to shatter her resolve to remain calm until he made some type of move to—

—to, well, she was not  _really_  sure.

" _Dobe_ ," the Uchiha greeted the Uzumaki. Then, his onyx colored eyes sliding onto her, Kagome lowered her gaze so she was not caught in an embarrassing situation, since she knew that being mesmerized with his stare would no doubt cause one. "Kagome."

" _Uh_." She nearly bit her lip. "H- _hi_ , Sasuke."

While he was wondering  _what the hell_  Sasuke thought he was doing, Naruto grinned impishly when he noticed the similar look the two of them shared. The Uchiha boy might deny it to his grave, but it greatly pleased Naruto to know that, in the end, this would all be thanks to him, Uzumaki Naruto! " _Hey_ , Kagome—"

Kagome stiffened, praying her friend did not give away anything. Because, damn it, if he did, she was  _so_  going to pound him until he slipped into unconsciousness!

"—is there something going on between you two that I  _should_  know about?" Naruto knew he was the best friend in the world, since he was almost handing Kagome the one boy actually  _trying_  to win her love to her on a silver platter. Yet, he still withered underneath her deadly glare and chose to alter his question to appease her at last minute.

" _No_." Her glare alone told the Uzumaki boy to shut his mouth, and she was positive he understood that fact when he looked away quickly. "No, there  _isn't_."

"Kagome, I—" her attention snapping back to Sasuke, she caught the slight skip in his voice that made her heart pick up speed a second time, "—I wanted to know if—"

"Well, this is  _awkward_ ," Naruto mumbled under his breath. He did not quite understand it. Why was it that, every time they were near one another, they could not seem to say anything?  _Seriously_. "Sasuke-teme, if you don't have anything to say, why don't you  _go away_. Kagome and I were going to go and practice that totally awesome water technique she learned recently."

The other shinobi-in-training shot him a look, but it appeared that Naruto's comment had pushed him enough that he found his voice. There was no hesitation in his voice the second time, as he asked, "Kagome, I wanted to know if you would like to—?"

* * *

" _Ugh_ , that Higurashi thinks she's  _so_  great!" Mayu hissed.

"I know!" Asuka did not bother to argue with the other girl, since everyone in the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club  _knew_  that the Higurashi girl was just trying to impress Sasuke and pull him farther away from them! "Just because she learned a  _low level_  water technique does  _not_  mean that she suddenly deserves a bunch of praise from Masao-sensei!"

"You know that she's just trying to become Kunoichi of the Year!" Reina huffed. "And,  _no doubt_ , failing miserably, since we all know who will be paired with Sasuke-kun when the time comes—!"

" _—Me!_ " The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club members immediately looked in opposite directions, refusing to believe that one of the others might be able to jump into the position that Uchiha Leiko had held for so long. Especially since, according to the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club rules, they were all supposed to give each other the same amount of time and opportunity to gain Uchiha Sasuke's attention.

"There's no reason to fight over it," Sakura sighed. She had  _no doubt_  in her mind that, when the time came, she would gain the title of Kunoichi of the Year.  _After all_ , she  _was_  the fan club president! "Higurashi will lose in the end, and then one of us will be placed onto Sasuke-kun's squad. And  _then_ , she'll cry in her bed every night, wishing that it wasn't true, while he's giving his love to  _one of us_!"

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club seemed to shiver in delight as a single unit. Many of the members placed put a hand to their face, as the thought sent their imagination into overdrive. Because, it was true! One of them  _deserved_  Sasuke's love after years and years of devotion! Unlike that pitiful little Higurashi brat,  _they_  loved Sasuke beyond belief and, in return, one of them  _deserved_  to win his love!

"There is a chance that Leiko might still get the position when she comes back, though," Emiko pouted. She did not seem to notice the glares that turned in her direction. "I mean, while it would be  _terrible_ , she is an Uchiha and—"

" _Ha!_ " Asuka laughed. "You know, Emiko, I've actually thought about it for a while now. And you know what I realized?" When the other girl shook her head, Asuka decided to elaborate. "Leiko  _is_ an Uchiha, just like Sasuke-kun, which means that she could, one day, activate the Sharingan. And, there's no doubt in my mind that Iruka-sensei— _no_ , Hokage-sama  _himself_!—will recognize that fact and believe that putting two Uchiha together would make that one squad too powerful. After all, each squad is supposed to be well balanced according to talent!"

" _Of course—!_ " Reina suddenly piped up, "—if there are two Sharingan users on the same squad, that squad will be unbalanced! It would become an easy target to high-level shinobi because it's so one-sided!"

Mayu easily caught onto where the conversation was going, as she said, "Which means that one of us will  _definitely_  be on Sasuke-kun's squad!"

" _Ugh_ , with the way you're all standing around, when we're  _clearly_  supposed to be practicing at the moment, none of you will leap into that position whether you want to or not." Her honey colored eyes glimmered in the sun, telling the world that she, an avid Hyuuga follower, was greatly amused by the simple fact. " _In fact_ , from my prospective, it seems like all of you will end up crying in your beds at night."

Sneering at the Hyuuga Neji Fan Club member, Sakura snarled, "Why don't you go back to the hole you crawled out from, instead of worrying about our affairs, Mizuki? Since,  _from my prospective_ , you'll be the one doing so when Higurashi goes running back to her little  _Hyuuga_  lover."

Flipping her hair over her shoulder, Mizuki smiled back. "My, my, Sakura," she said, "you've gained quite a backbone there, haven't you? I remember the days when you used to hide behind Ino, whining about how all of the girls here made fun of your big forehead."

Sakura stiffened, a fierce glare appearing on her face.

"In fact, I bet I could reenact the situation right here and now." Mizuki began to grin, loving the way she was getting underneath Sakura's skin without really trying to. "I bet we all could, since it's so easy. Here, let me try, 'Oh,  _boo hoo_ , I'm Haruno Sakura and I have no friends, and while I'd love for you to like my big forehead, I hate the fact that you all like the same boy I do. Oh,  _boo hoo_.'"

Asuka stifled a laugh behind her head.

Mayu coughed, trying to hide the slow grin that desperately wanted to appear on her face. While none of them had seen it coming, Mizuki  _had_  done a pretty good job with her reenactment. And, not only  _that_ , but with how high and mighty Sakura had been acting lately, the girl really  _did_  need to be knocked down a peg or two.

"S- _shut up, Mizuki!_ " Sakura snapped.

"Oh, what's the matter, Sakura?" Mizuki blinked her eyelashes innocently, before adding, "Did I hit a nerve?"

"Well, if you're so keen on practicing, Mizuki—" Sakura growled. She would  _love_  the opportunity to pound the other girl after all her little jabs throughout the years, "—why don't we practice  _together_?"

" _Mmm,_ " Mizuki put a finger to her lip, "no, I don't believe I'd like to."

"Why  _not_?" Sakura tone turned mocking, as she continued, " _Chicken?_ "

" _As if_ , Sakura. You see, I made sure to train a little this morning before I came to the Academy, since I knew that we were going to be visiting Masao-sensei—"

" _Uh huh_ ," Sakura snorted.

"—and,  _not only that_ , but, I want to see your reaction when you realize that your  _precious_  little Sasuke- _kun_  is over there," Mizuki pointed, "asking Higurashi Kagome if she'll  _train_   _with him_."

" _WHAT?!_ "

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club was immediately in an uproar, as they swung around in the direction that Mizuki had indicated to find that,  _yes_ , Uchiha Sasuke was indeed standing quite close to Higurashi Kagome. And,  _yes_ , it did appear that the Higurashi girl, as she blushed and nodded, had agreed to train with Sasuke as they walked a little distance away from Uzumaki Naruto, clearly pouting and kicking his feet around, and each slid into a taijutsu stance.

* * *

"This is unfair!" Naruto whined. Seriously, what in the world did the Uchiha boy think he was  _doing_? "You promised that you'd train with me for a while, Kagome, yet—!"

The Higurashi girl managed to drown away Naruto's voice, as she watched Sasuke slip down into an offensive stance some distance from her. She was not even sure why she had agreed to train with him for a little while herself, but, with the way her heart beat picked up, she feared that she could not have told him "no."

The rest of the class seemed to turn silent, watching in anticipation, with the exception of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club. The girls were merely horrified and stunned with the event suddenly taking place before their eyes, and were unsure how to put a stop to it when it was clear Iruka-sensei would not allow them to. Iruka-sensei, no doubt, would drag them all to the Hokage himself if they even dared to declare violence upon the Higurashi should she not back down from willingly practicing with Uchiha Sasuke.

The fierce gleam that rushed across Kagome's eyes only made Sasuke shiver. He was aware that the Higurashi stare was known for stopping opponents in their tracks, fear racing through their system, yet the sight of Kagome's brilliantly blue eyes focusing upon him only delighted him. It tightened the knot in his stomach, before suddenly, the feeling seemed to burst into a thousand fluttering, little butterflies that forced him to bite his lip to control himself.

Suddenly, trying to fight down the heat rushing to her face, Kagome broke the silence by rushing forward. She cleared the distance between them with ease, throwing the first punch at Sasuke's surprised face, and was a little surprised herself when her fist dug into his cheek and forced him off his feet. " _Oh my—!_ "

Naruto laughed hysterically on the sideline, leaning over to grab onto his side when the laughter started to turn painful. "That was—!" he could not contain the laughter, "— _that was_ —! Way to go, Kagome! Kick that Uchiha's butt in—into  _next week_  if you have to!"

Ignoring the numerous gasps and cries from his fan club, Sasuke rose from his position on the ground and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. That was, admittedly, his own fault. He had been caught within those eyes that he loved so much, and, as a result, had been thoroughly surprised when, suddenly, the same brilliant orbs were nearly in his face.

Having come forward to help the Uchiha boy, Kagome said, "Oh, Sasuke, I'm sorry! I didn't,  _well_ , I mean, I didn't—"

Instinct pushed her into action, as Sasuke threw his own fist in her direction. It did not seem forceful, or truly meant to hurt her, but the Higurashi girl moved nevertheless. She twisted to one side, years of practicing alongside her grandfather and brother making the movement easy, and, planting both hands onto the ground, retaliated by swinging her foot in the direction of his head.

Blocking the kick with his arm, the Uchiha boy quickly grabbed onto the Higurashi girl's toned leg. The split second, his fingers twitching to trace the toned muscle, was ruined, however, when her other foot dug into his side. That moment, though, her kick forcing the air from his lungs, the Uchiha realized he did not need to hold back.

She could take it.

Adrenaline pumping rapidly through her veins, Kagome found herself moving easier. The slight glimpses of Sasuke's face—the same face she often imagined reflected with flames—did not seem to affect her nearly as much. As she avoided and parried with the Uchiha boy, the refreshing feeling of excitement washed over her and drowned away the constant feeling of embarrassment she almost feared she would always carry.

Yet, no matter how much the adrenaline chased away her new, awkward feelings, Kagome could not get rid of the few butterflies that appeared in the pit of her stomach when she noticed the way Sasuke glanced in her direction a moment later. His dark eyes pierced into her system, brought back the heat in her face, and she earned a nice kick to the shin because of it.

" _Hey!_ " Naruto shouted. "Unfair _, unfair_!I call unfairness, Iruka-sensei!"

"Get 'em, Kagome!" The rest of the class seemed surprised by Yamanaka Ino's sudden declaration, as her voice rose over the field. "Girl power all the way!"

Watching Kagome shake away the pain in her leg, and rush toward him once more, Sasuke caught sight of the little nin-cat charm she wore around her neck. A smirk lifted on his face, as he avoided her first and second punch, before finally catching her third in the palm of his hand.

It was time that she learned the truth.

"W- _what_ , Sasuke?" Kagome jerked away suddenly, as the Uchiha boy grabbed her by her upper arm and hauled her body close to his own. The blush she had been fighting back rushed forth onto her face, and her heart immediately picked up extra speed when she felt the heat of his body pressing against her own. "W-what are you—?"

" _EH?!_ " Naruto's voice seemed insignificant compared to the burning gaze looking down upon her, but Kagome still heard her best friend in the background as his own confusion became clear.

"Kagome, I—"  _damn it_ , his tongue would  _not_  win this battle! "—I'm glad that—"  _damn it!_  "—you're still wearing that nin-cat charm that—"

Kagome blinked in confusion, and her mouth slowly began to slip open in a silent question. " _Sasuke_ —?"

"— _that_ —" Sasuke had hoped that he was over having to fight with his tongue's habit of disobeying him. But, recognizing the swollen feeling, he knew that, once again, his tongue had won the battle.

Trying to beat down the embarrassment that rushed through her, since her body was pressed rather close to the Uchiha's chest, Kagome gulped beneath his softening gaze. What had happened to the arrogant, prideful Uchiha that refused to show any type of emotion in public? What happened to the boy that she had known throughout her time in the Academy?

Tightening his hold a little, Sasuke tried one last time, "I—!"

Her mind in chaos, despite the fluttering of her heart, Kagome felt that she had managed to pick up on what the shinobi-in-training was trying to tell her. Yet, as her question came out, her voice softened into a whisper. "Sasuke, did you—" she lifted the hand she could still move and touched the nin-cat charm around her neck, "— _did you_ —?"

Looking into that face that he adored, Sasuke could merely nod. His tongue refused to work in such close proximity, and he was quite pleased that she had quickly come to the conclusion that  _he_  had given her the little charm she wore daily. Then again, he would say she was as brilliant as she was beautiful, so it was really no surprise to him that she had figured it out so quickly.

"O- _oh_."

He knew he had to speak then. His foolish tongue be damned! "I—" he reminded himself, once again, that she was just a girl. Talking to her should  _not_  be quite so hard, but, then again, it had been some time since he had been so close to her, "—I wasn't sure how—" he swallowed, "—how you would react if I—"  _again_ , but at least he was getting through his sentence, "—told you."

"Sasuke, I—"


	23. From the Heart

"W-what? Did he just imply that he…?" Sakura asked. Her eyes widened, disbelief rushing through her body. She had stiffened at the sight of Uchiha Sasuke pulling Higurashi Kagome—the little  _bitch_!—toward his body, and now she was not entirely certain she had heard him correctly.

Another Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club member took a tentative step backward, her mouth falling open. Tears began to form at the edge of her eyes, as a sudden cry escape from her throat. It attracted the attention of the rest of the fan club easily enough, and then she cried out in horror. "S-Sasuke-kun, he—!"

" _No! No, he didn't!_ " Asuka suddenly snapped. She refused to believe that—!

" _You_  heard it!" the original girl snapped back. "We  _all_  heard it!"

Mayu remained rooted in her spot, refusing to speak in fear that her voice would crack in anguish. Asuka, as usual, was just being an idiot. The stupid girl just could not bring herself to believe that Uchiha Sasuke had admitted to— _to_ —!

Another girl suddenly broke out into sobs, dramatically shaking her head and throwing her face into her hands. She appeared to have broken down completely, reality sinking in, and it was clear that her actions were infectious. Other girls broke down beside her just as dramatically, wailing into their hands.

"S- _stop it!_ " Asuka cried. "You just misunderstood him! Yeah!" The girl nodded quickly, trying to convince herself. "That's it! You just misunderstood him! He didn't actually  _say_ anything; you're all just assuming the worst! He's still—!"

"Oh,  _shut up,_  Asuka!" Mayu yelled, unable to stop the few tears that dripped from beneath her lashes.

"Hmhp." The Hyuuga Neji Fan Club member gazed about them in interest, a smirk lightening her features. Then, she said, "If I had known  _this_  was all it would take to make you all break down, I would have tried to make it happen a  _long time ago_."

"This—" Sakura's eyes blazed suddenly, her ears hearing only what she wanted to hear at that point, "— _this_  is all  _your_  fault."

"Um,  _excuse me_?" Mizuki flipped her hair over her shoulder, before leaning her hip into the hand that she had placed upon it. Because,  _really_ , that was a bit too far. While she just _loved_  to see them all fail miserably at obtaining Uchiha Sasuke's heart, she was  _not_  the type to purposely make another person cry.

"You just wanted  _Hyuuga Neji_  so much for yourself that you—you-!" Sakura shrieked. She could not control herself in that moment, as she was faced with the reality that Uchiha Sasuke, the boy she loved through and through, had set his sights on  _someone else_. That while he knew he held her constantly bleeding heart, he had gladly taken the chance and crushed it between his beautifully cruel fingers.

Large, wet tears spilled down her cheeks immediately after.

"Oh,  _yes_ ," Mizuki spat, "because  _I_ , clearly, have the godly ability to decide how and when someone will decide to start developing feelings for another person!" Her honey colored eyes took great pleasure in watching Sakura cry, as she added, "You're such an  _idiot_ , Sakura, you know that?"

"J-just,  _shut up_!"

" _And why_   _should I_?" Mizuki challenged. "It was about damn time that you were knocked off that high horse you've seated yourself on!  _Sasuke-kun_!  _Sasuke-kun_! Do you honestly  _think_ that just because you like someone, you're automatically better than  _everyone_  else?"

The other members of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club scowled at Mizuki's tone, but, silently, they all agreed with her statement. Sakura, since the moment she was forced into presidency by Ino's betrayal, had been a real  _pain_. And even if it broke each and every heart, knowing their precious Sasuke-kun wanted the one person they tried so hard to keep him from, it was a delight to see her cry.

Blinded by anger, Sakura took a step toward the Hyuuga Neji Fan Club member. She had every intention of striking that superior scowl from her face, but a large, firm hand gripping her shoulder halted her movement. Glancing behind her, her emerald eyes wild, she deflated slightly when Iruka-sensei came into her vision.

"Sakura—" Iruka knew that he had to do  _something_  before violence broke out between the two girls, "—while I understand that you've always held strong feelings for Sasuke, sometimes, if you  _truly_  love that person, it is best to  _let them go_."

Blinking through tears, the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club members watched as Haruno Sakura suddenly flung herself at Iruka-sensei. She grabbed at his chuunin vest tightly, letting out a wail, before she began to sob loudly against him.

Iruka glanced down at the pink haired kunoichi-in-training sadly, as he said, "Violence  _never_  solves anything, Sakura."

* * *

"—I," her blush increased, as the boy seemed to subconsciously pull her closer to him by her waist, "well, I—"

" _I knew it!_ " Naruto suddenly proclaimed. "I knew that it had to be  _you_ , you bastard! You were so fast to deny that you would given  _anything_  to, well,  _anyone_ , that I just  _knew_  it had to be you!"

The Uchiha boy chose to ignore the blonde, instead focusing on the beautiful blue depths staring up at him. After all, the idiot was just being as annoying as always. And, while it was obvious that his little  _act_  was meant to keep Kagome from knowing that he, himself, knew, he had stopped her from finishing her sentence.

Glancing away from his gaze, Kagome muttered, " _Um…_ "

Stomping his foot, Naruto ignored the heated glare that the dark haired boy cast in his direction. " _Damn it!_ " he shouted. "Will you two stop ignoring me? I  _exist_ , damn it!"

Shifting her gaze nervously, Kagome put her hand on Sasuke's chest and pushed a little. His proximity was making it difficult to think, especially after he had confessed to having given her the cute little nin-cat charm she'd found on her desk nearly a month ago. " _Um_ ," she bit her lip, "I'm really sorry, Nar _u_ —"

"First—!" Naruto pouted, "—you're all like, ' _Let's ignore poor little Naruto, my best friend, and train together, Sasuke~!_   _I know I totally promised him, but you are just oh, so cute!'_ And now you're both all like,  _'You're so cute! No, you're so cute! No, you're cuter!'_  Do you see yourselves? This is what you are  _becoming_!"

"Oh, will you give it a rest, Naruto?" Inuzuka Kiba growled from the sideline. Once the blonde focused his attention on him, the Inuzuka allowed a smirk to cross his face. Then, wagging his eyebrows, he added, "They're just too focused on  _other things_ , y'know?"

" _Ugh!_ " Naruto shivered, " _Ew!_  That's my best friend you're talking about, ya  _pervert_!"

"Hey, I'm not—!"

Deciding it was best to ignore Naruto at the moment, the Higurashi girl managed to use the distraction to remove herself from Sasuke's grip. His hand remained on her wrist, holding onto her, while he gazed down into her face, and she felt her heart give a small, impressive leap. " _Uh_ ," she swallowed, trying to fight off her blush. "T-thank you."

The contact left Sasuke in a much similar state, though his blush was not nearly as noticeable. "You're welcome," he muttered softly. The butterflies in his stomach were intense, and he suspected it was from the sheer joy he felt knowing Kagome had yet to pull away from his hand.

"I, well that is, I  _just_ —" It was hard to think, even when she turned her head away, knowing that he was focused so completely on her. Even when there was a horde of crying girls nearby; each and every one of them probably as confused as she was. "I  _just_ —"  _Boy_ , she was starting to feel really  _stupid_. "Uh… _thank you_ , again."

A smirk lifted the corner of his mouth, as he continued to watch her. She was so flustered it was adorable, and he did not see any reason to ruin the moment. Especially every time she forced the butterflies inside him to flutter wildly by simply glancing up from beneath her dark lashes.

The familiar burning sensation rushing through her, as his dark eyes gazed upon her with the same intensity as when he had frightened away his fan club, Kagome felt her mouth open silently. Her blush spread a little further, if that was possible, and she finally knew the answer she had been searching for, for the last few days. So, quietly, she stated, "… _yes_."

His brow dipped down, as confusion swam into his mind. " _What?_ "

Lifting her gaze, she allowed her blue eyes to lock with his onyx colored pair. She smiled slightly, knowing then that what she felt was  _real_ , as she looked upon his handsome face. " _Yes_."

His eyes widened slightly, as realization dawned upon him. "A-are you—?" he asked, though his voice was a mere whisper.

She nodded, her smile brightening, and said, "Yes, I'm saying that—" she swallowed loudly, "—that I'll go on a date with you."

"Oh my  _god_!" Ino squealed suddenly. "That is so  _damn_  cute!"

"Yeah, it's freaking  _adorable_ ," Naruto said, making a face. He  _was_  happy for his friend, but he could have done without the lovey dovey, oh so happy smiles and glances. "Though, I've gotta say, that at least that stupid little charm is a lot better gift than the—"

Despite the large distraction Sasuke was proving to be, Kagome's head twisted suddenly in Naruto's direction when she realized that he was about to give away her secret. Her mouth opened to stop him, as her eye twitched wildly, and she felt the Uchiha boy stiffen at the look that crossed her face.

"— _twenty something_  stalker photos of  _himself_  that Neji gave her!"

The Hyuuga Neji Fan Club member, Mizuki, made a face. " _Stalker_ photos?" she mumbled.

" _NAR-U-TO!_ " Kagome suddenly exploded.

Sensing the monster, despite her raging hiss, Naruto back peddled quickly. " _Kagome, I didn't—!_ " He raised his uninjured hand in an attempt to appease her, but it was clear from the way she growled that that was impossible. " _I swear I didn't!_ "

" _I'll_ kill  _you!_ "

A high-pitched scream escaped the boy, and he turned tail the moment the Higurashi girl took a threatening step in his direction. " _Run!_ " he yelled. " _Everybody run for it!_ "

* * *

"Uuugh, my head," Naruto whined.

"Oh,  _shut up_ ," Kagome mumbled. Did he  _honestly_  think that his pity act would work on her after what he did? After he— _ugh_ —! "I should make you do my gardening for a year."

Scowling, Naruto glanced away from his best friend angrily. "Yeah, well, at least I'm not all giggly over some  _boy_." After all he had done for her, and this was how he was going to be treated? Sure, she was completely and utterly oblivious and, thus, had no idea he had had a hand in anything, but  _still_!

"I'm not the boy that turns himself into a girl in front of perverts for fun," Kagome replied, while huffing.

"Pft, they  _deserve_  it!"

"Doesn't change the fact," she said.

" _You—!_ " puffing out his cheeks, Naruto squinted his eyes at her, "—You're impossible!"

Huffing again, the Higurashi girl merely turned her head away from him. He had been there when she received the envelope; he had helped her burn all the evidence; he had helped her avoid Neji for some time out of embarrassment; and he had said that he would  _never_  tell anyone. It had been a  _promise_ , damn it, and he broke it!

She had every right to be angry!

Knowing how stubborn the girl could be, Naruto released the air from his puffed up cheeks. "Look," he glanced away, "I'm  _sorry,_ ok?"

Pausing in step, she glanced over her shoulder at him. He refused to look at her, scowling, and she allowed a little bit of a scowl to form on her own lips. "You  _knew_  that I didn't want you to tell anyone," she reminded him softly. "It's embarrassing."

"Yeah, well, I've got a big mouth," Naruto reminded her.

Gazing upon her friend, Kagome felt her anger deflate a little. There  _had_  been countless times where he had almost given away her secret, yet she had been the one that stopped him each time. It was really just a matter of time before he finally let it slip. "I know…"

Catching her eye, Naruto asked, "You forgive me,  _right_?"

"I guess," she replied. She definitely did not like it, but this  _was_  Uzumaki Naruto she was talking to. He was the most forgetful, loud mouth that she knew, yet that did not change the fact that he was her best friend. "I guess I'm sorry that I hit you earlier, too."

The blonde shinobi-in-training was definitely not too keen on her answer, either, but he supposed that it was the best he was going to get for now. It had been something pretty  _big_ that he had let slip, after all. And, while she would not say it, he could tell that it really bothered her from the way she was rubbing her arm.

The awkward silence settling in, Kagome kicked a small pebble beneath her foot.

"Hey," the blonde finally said. "Did you know I had this really awesome prank that I wanted to do?"

"You  _always_  have a really awesome prank that you want to do." A small smile worked its way onto her face at the thought, as she remembered the last one that ended with them both running wildly from a horde of Uchiha police. "And, besides, you'd better not say anything about it here. There might be  _Uchiha_  listening."

" _Pft!_ " Naruto waved his hand. "I'm not afraid of a few Uchiha!"

"Are you  _sure_?" she asked, grinning. "The last time we were almost caught, you looked like you might pee your pants."

"N- _nuh uh!_ " he gasped. "And,  _besides_ , this prank is way cooler than that one!"

"Oh?"

"Yeah!" Naruto grinned wickedly, as he turned on his heel and pointed toward the monument that could be seen from any part of the village. "I want to paint that!"

"You want to paint Hokage Mountain?" Kagome asked. She shuffled her feet, unsure of Naruto's current train of thought, since she had grown up with her grandfather spouting stories time and again about the monument. To throw paint all over it would be a disgrace, even if it was only a simple prank.

Naruto grinned, nodding. "And, you know, you have to help me!"

"Um,  _no_?" Kagome laughed nervously.

" _What?_ " Naruto scowled. "You have to help me, Kagome! Do you see my arm? I can't carry buckets by myself, and I probably won't be able to carefully propel myself far enough without your help."

"It's just," Kagome tried to reason with him, "that's  _Hokage Mountain_."

"It's just a bunch of faces carved into the side of a mountain, Kagome," Naruto fought back. "I, personally, think that the paint will help spice it up a bit, y'know." He grinned suddenly, his eyes twinkling, as he added, "Or, maybe,  _you're_  afraid of getting caught by an Uchiha."

" _Of course not!_ " she huffed.

"Which reminds me," Naruto chuckled, "when is your, oh, how to put this,  _big day_?"

Smirking, the Higurashi girl thought it best to counter his attempt to embarrass her further by embarrassing him. "Why do you have so much interest in Sasuke all of a sudden, Naruto? You say you hate him, but—"

"Hey, I have  _every_  right to know when some bastard is taking my best friend on a  _date_!" Naruto cut her off, not trusting her tone enough to let her finish the sentence. She was an evil, evil,  _evil_  girl when she wanted to be, after all, and there was no telling what was going on in her head.

Shaking her head, Kagome turned on her heel and began to walk once more.

"H- _hey!_ " Naruto shouted. "That's not answering my question!"

"Tomorrow," she sighed, before smiling brightly. "Tomorrow."

* * *

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club was in chaos even after the Academy had let out for the day. It was common for them to ban together to make certain that no one, whether they were shinobi or civilian, had the chance to interact with Uchiha Sasuke on his walk home. Yet, today it appeared that that tradition was going to be broken.

Even Sakura, the club president, had not bothered to show.

"We  _still_  have a chance!" Asuka said, her voice determined. "Sasuke-kun may have started to develop feelings for that  _stupid_  Higurashi, but there's still a chance that he'll get bored!"

"Asuka, give it up," Mayu sighed. She, unlike Asuka, had not been an Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club member for most of her life and accepted the fact that,  _maybe_ , it had been their own behavior that caused Sasuke to turn away from any of them. It was hard, sure, but, sadly, it was reality.

"Oh, shut up, Mayu," Asuka growled. "You might not believe it, but once Sasuke-kun gets bored with that stupid Higurashi—and he  _will_!—the rest of us will prove to him that we've _always_  loved him! And then he'll pick one of us, instead of someone like  _you_!"

Her silver colored eyes narrowing, Mayu stood suddenly. "You're so  _delusional_ ," she said, as she turned on her heel. It hurt, knowing that she was walking away from the one boy she had chosen to place her heart with, but she knew that it was for the best. She refused to be seen as a fool, especially if Asuka was proven wrong.

"Oh, this is just  _terrible_!" Emiko cried. "Just  _terrible_!"

Asuka glared in her direction, huffing. " _Everything_  is  _terrible, terrible, terrible_  with you, Emiko," she hissed. "But, I'm  _telling_  you! Sasuke-kun  _will_  throw that stupid Higurashi away like yesterday's trash! It's only a matter of time! And, when he realizes that she's not worthy of the name Uchiha, one of  _us_  will step in and help him find his way!"

"It doesn't matter anyway, Asuka," Reina sighed. "Without Sakura, the rules state that we are not allowed to—"

"Fuck the rules!" Asuka clenched her fist, as she continued, "Sakura has  _abandoned_ us! She has given up, something I  _refuse_  to do, and its only fair that we choose a new president to continue what she obviously can't."

"What do  _you_  think we should do, Asuka?" a girl asked from the back.

Grinning in triumph, Asuka began her speech, "I think that we should continue as we always have. We've endured this entire time: without Yamanaka, without Leiko, and we'll still endure without Sakura! We can't just sit here and  _cry_! Yes, I know it hurts, but Sasuke-kun is just confused. He's the smartest shinobi of our generation, so there's no doubt in my mind that he'll be quick to  _dump_  that stupid Higurashi. We," she paused, "just might have to  _help_  him a little."

Emiko wiped at her tears, as she asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"You all heard it, I'm sure," Asuka nodded to herself. "Sasuke-kun plans to take his little  _toy_  on this  _outing_ —" she  _refused_  to use the term "date," as it was clear to her that Sasuke was only confused by the meaning, "— _tomorrow_. It is our duty, as the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club, to put a stop to this!"

Reina frowned a little, saying, "Don't you remember, though? The last time we attempted to do anything to Higurashi, Sasuke-kun started spitting  _fire_   _at_   _us_."

" _Ha!_ " Asuka chuckled. "You're just over thinking, Reina, like  _always_. Sasuke-kun only did that because he was afraid that Leiko, an Uchiha like himself, would hurt the  _thing_  that he decided to play with. That would be impossible, after all, if she were stuck in a hospital bed."

"I think you're wrong," Reina said firmly. "I think that Sasuke-kun—!"

" _Sasuke-kun was_ not _spitting fire at_ us _!_ " Asuka snapped.

"Oh?" Reina scowled. She definitely did not like the fact that Asuka just  _decided_  that since she was the one with the biggest mouth, she was going to run everything. "And,  _who_  was he throwing fire at then,  _Asuka_?"

" _Leiko_ , of course!"

"Leiko was still one of us then!"

The Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club began to whisper amongst themselves, as Asuka and Reina bickered back and forth. They, too, did not appreciate Asuka's attitude now that she believed she was the one in charge. Several girls even walked away, intent on going home to cry some more.

"Oh,  _shut up_ , will you!" Asuka growled.

"You just think that you're  _big_  now because Sakura isn't around to put you in your place!" Reina growled back. "Despite what you've  _obviously_  decided, Sakura is still the club president until there is a vote among those remaining stating otherwise. And,  _even then_ , it has to be a club vote to decide whether or not  _you're_  fit to lead us."

" _Well_ ," Asuka hissed, "why don't we put it to a  _vote_  then? Who here believes that Haruno Sakura, the girl that has abandoned us in our greatest time of need, is fit to still be president of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club? Anyone?  _Anyone_?"

Very few girls remained, but among those that did, no one raised a single hand.

"There!" Asuka smirked, "Are you happy  _now_ , Reina?"

Reina, however, was not deterred. "And I ask you, members of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club, do  _you_  believe that Miyake Asuka is  _fit_  to be your club president? Those in favor, please, _raise your hand_."

Hesitantly, Emiko allowed her hand to lift.

"Emiko?" Reina blinked. "Why do you think Asuka would…?"

"Well," Emiko sniffled, "while I don't agree with her attitude, Asuka  _was_  the only one that tried to keep us all together. This situation is simply  _terrible_ , and yet she is trying, at the very least."

As whispers broke out among the remaining Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club members, more hands lifted into the air.

"I don't see anyone else even doing  _that much_ ," Emiko added.

Asuka smiled brightly, watching as Reina turned her head away when it appeared she was the odd man out. "That's so  _sweet_  of you all," Asuka sighed. "Thank you. And, of course, as the new president of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club, I will do everything in my power to make certain that it is one of  _us_  that Sasuke-kun picks to stand by his side forever!"

Emiko clapped for a moment, before it became apparent that no one planned to follow suit. "Congratulations," she mumbled.

"Which leads me to  _my_  next order of business—" Asuka could not believe that this had happened to  _her_. She was the  _president_  of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club! She decided who was first pick on the Weekend Uchiha Watch; who stayed and who joined; who— _Oh!_  The list went  _on_! "—we  _will_  not be doing something so  _stupid_  as trying to harm Higurashi! No! We will, instead, merely do everything in our power to make it seem that Sasuke-kun's outing is a bad omen between the two!"

"And how will we do  _that_?" Reina bit out.

" _Well_ ," Asuka flipped her hair over her shoulder, "first of all, we're going to—"

* * *

His sandals slipped off easily, before the dark haired Uchiha glanced behind him at the sound of the door opening once more. Itachi gazed upon his brother curiously, taking immediate interest in the way he held his head high. If Itachi did not know better, he would almost have said that it appeared his brother held the world in his hand and adored it.

Sasuke, however, paused at the sight of his brother. His lip turned down instantly, as he said, "I thought you were out on some ANBU business,  _Itachi_?"

"It is a  _pleasure_  to see you, as well, Sasuke."

Toeing his sandals off beside the door, Sasuke cast a glance at his brother. He had been doing  _that_  lately. It was almost as if he was attempting to tell some little joke that only he, himself, would understand. "Tch," he muttered, " _whatever_."

As he moved to walk down the hallway leading further into the Uchiha manor, Itachi's voice stopped him. "Tell me, Sasuke," he asked, "why are you so pleased with yourself? Did you, _perhaps_ , manage the impossible?"

Sasuke did not bother to answer the Uchiha prodigy, though he did allow himself the chance to glance over his shoulder and smirk. Itachi's merely blinked, but there was little doubt that the  _great_  and  _noble_  Uchiha Itachi understood the gesture. He was, after all, the genius of the Uchiha clan.

Then, deciding that he had been within his brother's presence long enough, Sasuke quickly fled down the hallway. He shoved his hands into his pockets, as he finally rounded a corner and found his destination. He knew he probably could have found the room with his eyes closed, considering the amount of noise his mother was making as she shuffled through an array of pots.

"Sasuke."

Glancing to his left, Sasuke was slightly surprised to find his father seated at the table. It was a normal occurrence for him to stay at the police station until six o'clock sharp, yet it was clear he had arrived early from the steaming cup of coffee set before him. "Father."

Fugaku lifted his brow at the smirk his son cast him.

Mikoto turned at the sound of her youngest son's voice, smiling at the sight of him. "Hello, Sasuke," she greeted him. "Did you see your brother when you arrived? I thought I heard the door open twice."

"Mother," Sasuke greeted her in return. He did not bother to answer her question, since it was clear that she already knew Itachi had arrived home early. She did, after all, appear as if she was planning on making dinner early tonight.

Her dark eyes twinkling, Mikoto said, "You seem quite pleased with yourself today, Sasuke. Did something exciting happen at the Academy?"

Though his mother turned back to what she was doing previously, Sasuke nodded. "Yes," he said, "yes, something very exciting happened today, mother."

As Mikoto turned her head, even Fugaku gave his son a curious glance. "Oh?" she asked. "And what was that?"

"Tomorrow, I have a  _date_." His mother was sure to be pleased with  _that_  one. She was, after all, the one that silently encouraged him to interact more with those of the female variety.

A smile blossomed on the Uchiha matriarch's face, as she turned on her heel to gaze upon her little boy. "Really?" she asked. "Oh, how  _exciting_! Did you finally accept one of those girls' that's always asking you, Sasuke? I knew that eventually you would find one that caught your interest."

Glancing again at his father, Sasuke said, "I will be taking Higurashi Kagome, mother."

"Higurashi Kagome?" Mikoto blinked. "Higurashi?  _Higurashi_? Oh!" Her smile seemed to brighten a little, as she recalled the young girl from somewhere. "You mean the pretty little girl with dark blue eyes that sits behind you, yes?"

"Yes."

"Oh, Sasuke, I'm so happy for you."

As that familiar glazed look overtook his mother, Sasuke swallowed. She had often hoped that Itachi would settle down soon, thus granting her grandchildren to play with, but, as it stood, it appeared that she was now imagining another set of children squealing around her.

And, indeed, Mikoto hoped that her future would be filled with dark haired, blue-eyed little ones. Her grandchildren would be delighted to see her, begging her to play with them, and, if her dream came true, all of them would be  _girls_.

Fugaku, sipping from his cup, frowned at his wife's expression.

Sighing softly, Mikoto said, "This will be your  _first_  date. My little boy's first date."

Sasuke merely nodded. It was best not to distract his mother while she was stuck in her blissful daydream.

"It  _has_  to be perfect—"

Fugaku sighed. He, too, knew it was best not to distract the Uchiha matriarch while she was in this state. And, while he did not approve of his son pursuing the Higurashi girl  _before_ he rose back into the number one rookie position, he knew that his wife would have a different opinion.

"—Oh! I'll take care of everything for you, Sasuke!" Mikoto smiled. "It'll be perfect, I promise. I'll set everything out somewhere near the river, and I'll have all the snacks prepared, and, oh, I'm  _so_  happy for you!"

"Thank you, mother."

Mikoto appeared unaware of the gratitude, as she sighed blissfully. Grandchildren were in her future, she was sure of it. Dark haired, blue-eyed grandchildren.


End file.
